Cab 1 not work with Legacy base&power master bridge

The powermaster is working so you know the cab1s are working as the powermaster gets it's signal from the cab1s directly. That would put the problem in the TMCC command base. Check to make sure the cable that is hooked between the Legacy base and TMCC base is not hooked up backwards. I see you mat have tried the TMCC command base by itself and it doesn't work I would look at the wire to the track and make sure you're using the correct Wallwart for the base. Some of the command bases have had the wiring post become disconnected inside the base also.

Ron

This may have nothing to do with the problem, but do make sure that the Bridge unit is at least 6' away from the Legacy base. There can be problems if the two are too close together.

Ron and Nicole, Thanks for your response.  The bridge is about 3 feet which is the max my connector cable will allow.  I check the wire to the outside rail.  It looks good the legacy base is connect to the grounded outlet.  The strange thing is I put it up the same each year and for some reason the the cab 1 only communicates with the power master since it changes the track voltage. When I use the cab2 the response to the power master bridge is slow since it takes many turns of the red knob to turn on the voltage. A few times it increase the power quickly which tells me something is not receiving the signal.  

Could a wireless router cause interference?

Hi, sorry, but I made a mistake in my earlier post. I should have said that the Bridge should be at least 6' from the Powermaster, not the Legacy base.

 

As for your other questions. Although uncommon, it is possible for other equipment to interfere with the signals. Is the wireless router new, or has it been moved, since last year?

 

I'm also a little puzzled as to what you are expecting to operate the TMCC/Legacy locomotives. Without the TMCC command base, the CAB1 units will only operate the Powermaster. The Bridge will allow the Legacy system to also operate the Powermaster. So if you are operating conventional locomotives, you can use CAB1 or CAB2 to control the Powermaster. But if you are running the locomotives in TMCC/Legacy mode, only the CAB2 will control the locomotives via the Legacy base.

I unplugged wires and replugged them in and now the cab 1 works with TMCC command base like it used to (disconnected all wires to legacy).  I disconnected the TMCC command base and rehooked up the Legacy and power bridge.  The  cab 1 controlled the track power but not the engines or switches. The Cab 2 controlled everything.

I may have forgotten from last year.  But does the Cab 1 actually control the engines if you use the power bridge? 

Hi jwally,

 

I'm happy to hear that it's all working as expected now.   No, the CAB1 units will not operate the locomotives in TMCC/Legacy mode when using the Bridge and Legacy base.

Thank you Nicole.  I must have been trying to do something that is not possible.  Since it has been a year since I last ran the train. I got the power bridge last year for Christmas and forgot what it actually did.  My memory is not as good as it use to be.

You need the TMCC base hooked up to run engines in command mode with the cab-1.

 

How you combine the legacy & TMCC base  is beyond me but there must be a Y cable or something?  Only one wire from the U connection on either the legacy base or TMCC base (not both) is hooked up.

You should be able to do what you wanted. I'm not sure how although I've hook up DCS, legacy TMCC on a friends layout but my memory is not as good as it used to be.

Page 118 of Barry's book.  You use the MTH Cable 50-1007 or 50-1032 and the Legacy Y cable that come with the Legacy base.  That will allow you to connect the TIU, Legacy base, and TMCC base all to the serial link.

 

I'd post a picture, but perhaps that would not be received well being copied out of the book.

JWally here is your problem. You cannot hook a Powermaster Bridge AND a TMCC Command Base together with the Legacy Base. It is either the Powermaster Bridge connected to the Legacy Base which would control the Powermaster but NOT the Engines or accessories OR The TMCC Command Base connected to the Legacy Base which would control the Engines and Accessories but NOT the Powermaster. You can't have both until the new Legacy Powermaster becomes available or you use the ZW-C which will act like 4 Powermasters and there would be no need for the bridge.

Hope this helps,

Ron

You're right Ron, I didn't see a PowerMaster Bridge in there, that's going over the top!

Thanks Ron and everyone else who posted. I had forgotten the limits of the PM bridge.