CAB 1L, TPC 300, POSTWAR ZW start up issues???

First check.  There should be a green LED on the other end of your TPC. 

It should be lit/slow blinking.  If not reset the thermal cut out on the TPC near the green LED.  

To Program, move the small selector switch on the TPC to program.  Follow instructions and move the switch back to Run.   I use TR1 for my TPC  ID.  

TR1 Aux1 Boost with and old Cab1 turns the TPC on.  It is set in Command mode, full 18 volts to the track.

If lit, and you revolve/move the big knob on the Cab 1L the Green light should flash off and on.   If it doesn't the TPC is not getting signal from the Command base.

TR1 Aux1 Zero turns the TPC off.

I could be wrong and often,

Mike CT

Hmm, try connecting the "U" terminal from the command base to the TRACK OUT "U" terminal on the tpc. That may be an issue here...

Thank you for the reply but I still can get the TPC to blink?? Is there any way you might be able to call me at 734-453-1809 or send me your number as it's pretty obvious I need some help.

Thank you very much, Jerry

By the way, when I turn the red dial the command base red light blinks?

Hey there Penn Pacific, I think you hit the nail on the head. In that pic, it looks like the wire from the U terminal on the base is connected to the B, or C terminal on the transformer. It should be connected to one of the COMMON terminals on the transformer, or as on page 7 of the TPC Manual, should go to the U terminal of the lockon.

I was thinking of calling  Jerry, but when he reads your reply, I think he will be go-to-go.

The TPC is a great tool. Lots of commands to remember.

Hi guys,

I hooked it up as you advised bill to another post war ZW transformer and I got the TPC to respond, why I don't know because I hooked them up the same way. Now I get the green light blinking on the TPC when I turn the throttle button on the remote but can't get an engine to run on the track? I've added another picture. Please look at it and tell me what I screwed up this time.

Anticipating your reply so I can get this **** thing running, Thanks, Jerry

Back to Programming the TPC???? 

Program/Run Switch. ???  Did you assign a number to the TPC????   Move switch back to Run.

In Command mode.   (Assigned number (Example from Above TR1)  Aux1  Boost.   Tracks should power up.

TR1 Aux1 0  Power off. 

Hi Jerry, just curious, where do you have the wire going from the "U" terminal from the command base hooked to?

Well guys, I had Jerry on the phone for almost an hour this morning. Thought we had this worked out.... Guess not. I'll give him a call some time Sunday and get an engine running.

I'm glad to hear that the TPC is responding to commands. Now we have to give it the correct commands for whatever locomotive you have on the tracks. ( Meaning TMCC or Conventional)

Hi Jerry,

If you read this before contacting me, try this:

cab 1 L with power on from your transformer to the track you have wired from the tpc but take your conventional engine off the track as we do not know yet if the tpc is set for conventional mode.

cab 1, press tr or eng and the number you assigned your tpc, press "m" on the bottom of the cab 1 and then the set button. The red light on your command base should be blinking every time you press any cab 1 buttons-this is normal and the tpc green command light will blink any time you press any cab 1 button. By pressing the "m" button and set, keeps your tpc set in conventional mode. When you turn the power of and turn it on later on, it will stay in conventional mode as you pressed the set button. If you do not press the set button, your tpc will revert back to command mode( full power to your track) when you turn the power off and come back later and turn the power on. That is the default setting of a tpc.

Your tpc needs to be in conventional mode so you can vary the voltage with your cab 1 red knob. Think of the knob as your zw handle. Put an engine on the track. You can set the handle on 18 volts but press the eng or tr button of your assigned tpc number. Then rotate the red knob and the green light that is next to the command green light on the tpc  will slowly illuminate, you are varying the voltage. The engine's headlight will get brighter as you rotate the cab 1 knob to the RIGHT. If your engine eunit is set to reverse/ forward, press the direction button on the cab1 to your engine goes forward and use the knob to control your engine speed. 

You can shut the power off to the track even if your zw is still powered to the track by pressing eng or tr and your assigned number, Aux 1 button and 0, your power will turn off. 

I think the cab1L gives about 100 feet remote operation from your layout. You get walk around control of your layout.

I hope this solves it unless something is not wired correctly.

Hello all,

I wired the thing just like I wired in a past and everything seems to work okay? I finally got it running around the whole layout but at this point I have only run a 622 postwar switcher on it. I would like to have more sensitivity on the cab one L cntroller as it seems like I have to turn it quite a bit to get more voltage to the track. Obviously I still have a lot to learn! If you could advise how to get more sensitivity out of control button I would appreciate it. Thank you very much for your much appreciated help.

.Jerry

Jerry,

Try track # then aux 8, that should start track voltage at about 8 volts, this is what I do when I run conv. pw. Aux 9 will go to full power for TMCC.

Art

Jerry,

This is where the "L", "M", and "H" buttons come into play. Look at page 15 in the Manual.

You are probably in the 400 step mode.  Press the "AUX 2" button and then the "L" button. This will put you in the 80 Step mode.

I would recommend the 200 step mode. "M" button.

Glad to see you are making progress.

Is this a Lionel TPC 300 or one from IC controls?  There may be some different commands.

I recommend playing around on this website for a bit.

http://www.coilcouplers.com/tmc/begin.html

It has a great tutorial for tmcc operation, and really helped me understand just how everything works together when I was first getting into tmcc.

I spoke with Jerry. He has the Lionel TPC 300. Do the aux2 button and press L for 80 steps, m for 200 steps or h for 400 steps. Try the L button and see how the dial reacts on startup when powering on. Should not have to spin it much.

Thank you very very much for all your responses. I have been reading the manual running part and I'm starting to understand this thing pretty much.

Best of everything to all of you. Jerry

If you are running pullmore motored locos, you can set the stall speed per the manual. That way, it will start the track voltage where the loco wants to start running.

Besides setting the stall voltage, set the speed steps in your TPC to M or H for pullmor engines.

Hi Ted,

Much, much thanks for all your help.

Jerry