George,
I am certainly the worst one to answer you but having looked at Eric's trains and Mike Reagan videos, until the experts ring in, I don't think DCS can control TMCC- you need the lionel system tacked on to DCS. Check the Eric's trains video on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caIPXwkqNb4
In my case, by the time I buy a powermaster (thanks GRJ for the reminder), base 1L and cab 1L, I have spent $250 (and like you I am not big on the CAB 1L controller), and a legacy system is $300- $350. The MTH dcs explorer is $130 on line more or less and you can get it in a ready to run set total cost = $329 ( and you get the loco two cars and a caboose, along with a 50 watt transformer). I only have two legacy engines....Hmmmm....
I may need a $329 Christmas present?