I decided to build a temporary floor layout today. I went to Westside Trains in Las Vegas, Nevada (where I live) and purchased enough Lionel Fastrack to build a simple oval with a siding. The loop has O36 curves and (currently) a single O72 RH Remote/Command Switch. Power comes from my old CW80 Transformer. My Legacy #990 Set is also wired to the track.
I have to say, Lionel's FT Command Switches are as cool as videos show. Mine also worked right out of the box in both conventional control and command-control. For now, I have it powered off track power (which is fine), but I plan to add a LH O72 switch in the next week or so. When I get the second switch, I will wire them to the accessory power ports on my CW80. I will need some thinner wire to hook up the switches (which I don't have at this time.)
I spent some time running my old Lionel conventional steam locomotive with a short train of boxcars and a caboose. I also ran a Legacy train on the upper level shelf layout at the same time. Then I switched to my Legacy BNSF GP35 and ran that on the new loop of track. Everything ran great.
I am probably not going to have a shed built to house a new layout (but I really want to, and it could happen sometime in the future), so I will most likely be expanding my current layouts. Here's my possible plan:
1.) The upper level shelf layout:
-Rebuild layout with O72 and O60 curves and O72 switches
-Power each loop independently with a 180W Powerhouse Brick
-Add Lionel Base-3 and MTH DCS WTIU
-Rewire track for DCS
-Add LCS Sensor Tracks to each loop
-Upper level will be command-controlled only
2.) The floor layout:
-Add a second loop of track and a few more switches
-Add a second Legacy Powermaster to run conventional locos with Legacy on either loop
-180W Bricks (one on each loop) to power both tracks through DCS WTIU variable outputs
3.) Accessory/Switch Power:
-CW80 to power all switches and any LCS modules
-GW180 Transformer to power any accessories I have
-WTIU powered through aux. power port
