ZW-L VS. Z-4000 Features

The "three level" short circuit protection is better, I'd say, including particularly the fold back voltage control when detecting a short circuit - that is a good feature. 

The glowing "Lionel" in blue on the front is very cool.  The four lighted gauges look fantastic.  On the other hand, you can read the Z4K's digital readouts from across the room - you have to put your nose almost up to the ZW-L to read those gauges.  that is a useful and important difference in the Z4K's favor, but the only area where I rate it better.

The the big, big difference is only important if, like me, you run trains conventionally.  The ZW-L, with its 18V "chopped" sine waves,  is much better at running locos slowly, smoothly than the Z4K.  Much better.  In particular, it is almost magic with Lionel locos: whether Legacy or just conventional, they will run amazingly slow, -- very close to "Legacy slow," under conventional on a ZW-L, whereas they would not even come close to as smooth, as slow, with the Z4K.  MTH, RMT, and WBB locos runs noticeably slower than on the Z4K, but the difference is not quite as dramatic. 

The ZW-L (and the ZW-C) have a built-in powermaster attached to each of the 4 throttles. This means, that when paired with the TMCC-1 remote set or the Legacy remote you can have remote control of conventional trains running on any of the 4 handles. No, it doesn't turn a conventional loco into a command loco. You can only run one loco per loop but it does provide basic remote control of speed, direction, whistle and horn.

Gentlemen,

   Both the ZW-L & the Z4K are great, to me I would like to own 2 of each, to run one of each transformer on 2 different DCS TIU's, to control my entire layout.  Big time power from the ZW-L's, and with side receivers from both the Z4K's lots of running options open up for both command and conventional running.

PCRR/Dave

The three-level circuit protection as noted is an excellent feature, but I have QSI Powerguards as additional voltage spike protection at the Z-4000's outputs. On my other layout, I employ a Scott's "Odds and Ends" multi-port spike protector on my other Z-4000. Also, in my ten-plus years with the Z-4000's, I have found the nano-second circuit interrupters to be very efficient when they were rarely needed.

Also, I do not think my tinplate locos with their three pole, open frame motors would run much smoother with the ZW-L, unless those locos had can motors instead.

I have observed that my PS-2 Blue Comet 400E does not run very smooth if the voltage on the Z-4000 is advanced too quickly.

I believe I will stick with my time-tested Z-4000's for the present time.

PS: I have read George Brown's excellent review of the ZW-L in OGR Run 263, and I agree it is an impressive unit.

The Z4K can run traditional trains appreciably slower/smoother when controlling the track voltage with the handheld DCS remote with the track on the constant output on the TIA.

Alan