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My former TMCC running Lionel steam/diesel engines cannot run on my new layout which is equipped with Legacy and DCS. If I put these engines on a separate layout they run fine in conventional mode. When I put them on the new layout and turn on the track power, they immediately make their resting idle steam loco sounds and only their number boards light up. No bell or whistle or any movement. I again went thru the whole process of naming the engine with the under belly program/run switching and also loaded the generic steam legacy module. Still no response. Just the idle sounds of the engine. I tried multiple Lionel TMCC steamers with the same response. My Legacy/DCS steamers/diesels run fine on the new layout. I'd appreciate any input.

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John,

 Thank you for your reply. I did what you suggested for my 3 premium Lionel Berks, but again, they just sit there with their idling sounds. They do this by the way without even addressing them. They sound off as soon as I power up the track. Is this a symptom of anything? My tmcc diesels run ok. I do not have any other tmcc steamers to make this a scientific test. Thanks again,.

Robert

Agree with John, if the TMCC diesels work fine the TMCC steam engines should. Something is odd. Have you deleted them and then re-entered them? Maybe a picture of the remote screen?

If you place a TMCC steam engine and TMCC diesel nose to tail on the same track, the steam engine comes on in conventional while the diesel operates under TMCC/Legacy?

If this is a new layout, there may be something wrong with either the layout or the Legacy Base.  Seems like diesels typically have better reception of the command signal that steamers, so there might just be a weak signal problem.

1.  Check with an ohmmeter between the U terminal on the Base and an earth-ground point such as the U-ground hole on a wall receptacle.  There should be a very high or infinite resistance.  A low resistance will short out the command signal.

2.  How is the Base power connected to the wall receptacle?

3.  Have you substituted your TMCC Base for the Legacy Base to see if everything will run with the TMCC Base?  Some of the Legacy Bases have damaged output stages that only put out a weak signal.

Fredstrains posted:

Hey John,

Doesn't he need a TMCC "BASE" connected to his Legacy Base to run TMCC ?

Fred

 

Legacy does both. I have several tmcc engines you have to make sure you have it set right under engine setting .it has to be in tmcc mode after steam engine  and it has to be in tmcc mode (railsound 5) usually works but sometimes it won't  if it's areal old tmcc engine  in the sound settings.  But the berks he has should be under engine /steam/tmcc then scroll to sounds and it should be set to railsounds 5 

Last edited by jojofry

I have maintained the same program number for each of the 3 Berks. However, when I go to program them again with the same or a different number and press the ''set'' button on the cab-2 to finalize the process, the engines do NOT respond with any flashing lights or horn sounds ( I make sure to change the program/run switch). Therefore, there is some disconnect in this stage. How can I reprogram my 3 steamers? I think this step is the basis of the whole thing but I still cant figure it out. I am grateful for all your insights.

Robert

I would setup a test track that is separate from your layout. Use a few sections of track, long enough for the engine to go forward and backward. Disconnect your transformer and Legacy base from your layout and hook them up only to the test track.  Then program one engine at a time.  This should eliminate any other track / signal issues and isolate any problem you still have.

George

eyebank1 posted:

When I keep the power off my legacy layout but temporarily connect a red/black wire to the track from a z4000, they run fine. What is going on?

It looks like this post of yours got missed.  The Berks are not seeing the TMCC signal unless you do this, so there is an issue in how you have the layout wired.  There should only be one wire from the Legacy base to the layout.

-If you have a TMCC base, do not connect it to the layout, only use the Y-cable that came with the Legacy base to attach it to the Legacy base.  If you do not have any CAB-1 controllers you are wanting to use, remove the TMCC base from the whole setup.

-I have found that connecting the Legacy base to the transformer doesn't always get a good signal to the track, so I always connect it to the track directly.  The DCS manual says to connect the Legacy wire to the track output side of the TIU, this is the same as connecting it to the track.  So move your Legacy wire to the track or TIU track connection and see if they respond.  Do not connect it to the transformer or transformer input side of the TIU.

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