I have a completely DCS environment. I would like to add some Lionel. I have a cab – 1 remote and command base. I am considering a K- line locomotive I believe to have command. The question is, can I run the engine ( picture attached) with his hardware (pictures attached).
just want to be sure before I shell out $$$$ for loco
thanks
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Yes. Original diagram by user @CAPPilot and edited further by me.
Can be different transformers.
Obviously base can be CAB1, CAB1L, or Legacy base. Single wire connection is just common to all outer rails.
If you want to run the TMCC engine from the DCS remote, then another cable is required that connects the serial port of the TIU to the serial port of the TMCC command base. MTH 50-1032 TIU/TMCC 6' Connector Cable
Again to be clear, you have a Lionel remote. I prefer to run Lionel engines with the Lionel remote.
You only need the special serial cable when you want to run a TMCC engine by using the DCS remote- this is how those commands arrive at the TMCC base and then are transmitted to the TMCC engine.
Again the rules are very simple.
#1 with any TMCC or Legacy base, there is a special power supply that has a ground pin. That must be plugged into a properly grounded outlet. This is because the ground wiring in your house forms one side of the TMCC antenna from the base.
#2 The base is then just connected to the common outside rail of your 3 rail track system. Most systems, even with blocks, the outside rail is usually common between different loops of track. Again, bottom line, just ensure that single wire from the base post is connected to the outside rails of your track.
Thank you. Yes I have the Lionel Remote and I appreciate the diagram. I am indifferent to the remote. I am guessing if that is what you prefer you get better results I am fine with that.
The description on the loco box says Lionel trainmaster command control and rail sounds. All i am really after is controlling the speed, horn and bell.
So If I am reading this right. It is as simple as Upost on the Command base to the black output for each track? The rest of the setup is already in place.
Again, the next decision is do I want to spend the $$$. These things are getting a bit pricey.
Yep, command control in Lionel is relatively easy.
@msp posted:Thank you. Yes I have the Lionel Remote and I appreciate the diagram. I am indifferent to the remote. I am guessing if that is what you prefer you get better results I am fine with that. Just my preference, but it just feels right and is comfortable- run Lionel Command Control with a Lionel remote.
The description on the loco box says Lionel trainmaster command control and rail sounds. All i am really after is controlling the speed, horn and bell.- and crew talk or tower communication dialogs
So If I am reading this right. It is as simple as Upost on the Command base to the black output for each track? YES The rest of the setup is already in place.
thanks
can you run an MTH engine with its remote and the lionel engine with its remote on the same track (power source)?
@msp posted:can you run an MTH engine with its remote and the lionel engine with its remote on the same track (power source)?
Yes, you can.
So I finally got the engine. Can't get it going so - The CAB 1 and TMCC i have is used but the line is on and the remote has batteries. So I am assuming it works...maybe a big assumption.
per the engine instructions which is Legacy...
1. I have applied power to the track, have engine in program mode (which instructions does not say)
2 . Press ENG and #1
Instructions say "throttle up" after that point.
What am I doing wrong here?
I could type up a whole procedure but Mike Reagan has a nice video on it, for now, ignore the part about the AUX function programing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO8fArYpFLQ
The engine is a used engine from what you posted. It may have a different ID than 1, so you may need to reprogram to get it to respond to your inputs. All new engines come with an ID of 1, but if it's been changed, you may not know it's ID, which is needed for control inputs to select the loco. I suspect this happens to a lot of folks with used engines where the owner has changed the ID to the last two digits of the loco road number or something similar. It's possible you are not following the reprogramming instructions exactly. Close isn't good enough 
.
I watched that earlier and watched it again...it is pretty straight forward. program mode, power to track eng, #, set....I am not getting the whistle confirming.
again, the light is on the remote is clicking when pressing buttons.
engine is new - I will try again TMCC and remote are used.
just to be clear per diagram above have the wire on the U from the command base going to the black output of the TIU
I have also tried the app and use bluetooth it does not find my engine.
Couple of other things that occasionally mess with TMCC functionality. Make sure the power supply for the command base is plugged into an outlet, not a surge suppressor power bar. The house wiring acts as part of the radio frequency antenna for TMCC. So older houses with below current code wiring, with no good earth ground, sometimes give you funky TMCC performance. Same with surge suppressors and power bars. No solid ground = crappy TMCC.
I would connect the wire from the command base directly to your track, not through the TIU, just to eliminate one possible weak link in the transmission line. Usually not the problem, I grant you.
K-Line engines do not have Bluetooth, so don't use that function if it's a choice. Bluetooth is a relatively recent addition to Lionel locos and K-Line was long gone when Bluetooth was added. The app should have TMCC/Legacy functionality, so maybe I'm just unfamiliar with what you are doing, since I rarely use the app.
So, I got bluetooth going. Just in the short test I did it seemed to work fine. This is the only Lionel engine i have everything else is MTH. So, I was pleased with the bluetooth albeit just a short test. If I were to add Lionel engines to my roster what limitations to I have with the app? The good news is I would not have to purchase any additional hardware. (still can't get the CAB1 going) but again the app might be a suitable replacement. Just wondering about any limitations. I primarily just want speed control, couplers, horn and bell. All of which seem easy enough with app.
Not sure what bluetooth you think you got going. Your engine does not have bluetooth. Neither does your TIU or your Lionel command base. Your engine also isn't Legacy.
1) Make sure your command base is connected to the power connector that goes to your OUTER rail.
2) Place the program/run switch on your engine into "program".
3) Place your engine on the track
4) Power up your track (18v AC)
5) Press "engine", then then number you want to assign, then "set" on your Cab 1
If you do not hear the horn of your engine, check that the volume control is turned up fully. If you do, power the track down, move the switch to "run", place the engine back on the track, power up the track (18v AC), press "engine", then turn the big red knob clockwise to start the engine running.
Does the engine work in conventional mode?
As mentioned, not clear what exactly is going on. You are using the original Lionel TMCC command base and cab1, yes? Are you using the LionChief app? Shouldn't work with a K-Line TMCC loco, as far as I can tell . Any chance you are using the iCab, an older app which will work with a command base? I believe that it requires a Wi-Fi unit to connect to the command base, and I thought it had to be a 1L or Legacy command base. It's not Bluetooth, as it predates the LionChief app and LionChief locos. I'm out of my depth here, but trying to figure out what equipment you are using.
The good news.... if you are finding something that's working, it should control all the basic functions of Legacy, TMCC, LionChief + and LionChief + 2.0 locos, as that's true of all Lionel command systems from TMCC to Legacy to LionChief. Likely won't work with basic LionChief locos as these do not respond to anything other than the LionChief system or Bluetooth in the case of more recent locos.
Lots of variables here, and lots of good advice above. My 2 cents... To prove that your TMCC works, can you borrow a Lionel engine from a friend and try running it with your setup? If it works, then you'll know that your TMCC system is functional and connected properly.
Another thought - make sure that you are using the correct power source for your TMCC. Although it looks like a common wall wart, it's not.
@Magicland posted:Not sure what bluetooth you think you got going. Your engine does not have bluetooth. Neither does your TIU or your Lionel command base. Your engine also isn't Legacy.
1) Make sure your command base is connected to the power connector that goes to your OUTER rail.
2) Place the program/run switch on your engine into "program".
3) Place your engine on the track
4) Power up your track (18v AC)
5) Press "engine", then then number you want to assign, then "set" on your Cab 1
If you do not hear the horn of your engine, check that the volume control is turned up fully. If you do, power the track down, move the switch to "run", place the engine back on the track, power up the track (18v AC), press "engine", then turn the big red knob clockwise to start the engine running.
Does the engine work in conventional mode?
Ok well I am not a complete dumb@$$ I do have bluetooth and I do have a legacy engine. However, after reading the above I thought it might be a joke. So I reread the top of the thread to see where K-line came from....and I see maybe I am just a partial dumb@$$ I forgot, back in December when I started this thread I referenced a K-line engine. However, I passed on that one, forgot i mentioned that, and actually purchased a Lionel Legacy engine which I realize was not clear when i picked back up the thread last night. So I apologize for sending everyone on a wild goose chase. However, the same still applies.
With then steps above with Lionel Legacy loco. I get nothing....but yes it works in conventional mode and bluetooth.
Magicland I do appreciate the direct response.
I did plug directly to wall and run wire to outer rail.
@msp posted:Ok well I am not a complete dumb@$$ I do have bluetooth and I do have a legacy engine. However, after reading the above I thought it might be a joke. So I reread the top of the thread to see where K-line came from....and I see maybe I am just a partial dumb@$$ I forgot, back in December when I started this thread I referenced a K-line engine. However, I passed on that one, forgot i mentioned that, and actually purchased a Lionel Legacy engine which I realize was not clear when i picked back up the thread last night. So I apologize for sending everyone on a wild goose chase. However, the same still applies.
With then steps above with Lionel Legacy loco. I get nothing....but yes it works in conventional mode and bluetooth.
Magicland I do appreciate the direct response.
I did plug directly to wall and run wire to outer rail.
Okay, so it appears the issue is on the TMCC side, since you've verified that the engine is working. You mentioned that the light on the remote is clicking when pressing buttons. Is the light on the command base (green LED) lighting when you press buttons on the remote?
And the limitations of the app is that it will ONLY work with Lionel engines that have bluetooth. Lionchief plus, lionchief plus 2.0 (but not the original Lionchief) and NEWER legacy engines. Older legacy engines don't have bluetooth.
Thanks for the response. I will be out of town and thus not able to work on this til next week.
It does appear it is on the TMCC side - the engine is brand new and is working fine. The TMCC is used - given to me so I don't know the history.
Okay i think I am half way there.
1. I did get the horn....so I think we have connection. However, after shutting down power and powering back up in run mode I get no movement with remote.
So I guess the trigger to take it from conventional mode to TMCC is hitting ENG. That is where I am getting no movement. I got the horn as the engine number has been set. it will still run conventionally, but not TMCC. The video said something about an AUX number. Do i need to add something else?
Again, brand new Legacy engine....
I don't think it is defaulting to command mode. It is defaulting to conventional mode.
So after have set the number. Switch back to run. Each time i power up I get sounds and light right away. Based on Vid above is should be quiet once power is applied.
So I think it is not coming up in command mode but it is coming up in conventional mode.
Any takers?
The locomotive is not seeing any TMCC/Legacy track signal, that's the only reason that it'll come up live in conventional mode if it's a fully functional TMCC/Legacy locomotive.
So it seems my brand new engine is not fully functional? Because when I have it switched over to program mode - it has not come up in program mode every time. It has come up in conventional mode - while having it switched to program. That is why I was having difficulty assigning the number. I did eventually get it to come up in program mode and was able to assign a number. As of yet it has not come up on command mode when switched back to run
I suspect the used command set is a more likely source of funkiness. If available, the easiest way of establishing which part of the functional chain is not working is to test the command set with a known working loco, or testing the loco with a known working TMCC or Legacy set. If the loco has Bluetooth, one can test it with the free smart device app or Universal Remote. Obviously if your dealer isn't nearby and you don't have any local people to help with the testing issues, none of these suggestions is going to prove helpful.
Yea - this was my first venture into TMCc. Everything else is DCS I have no train friends
Just don’t know the history on the TMCc so that is probably it May just have to bite the bullet and buy one I know to be working
@msp posted:May just have to but the bullet and by one I know to be working
You can say the same exact thing though about your Cab-1 and Base-1. They could equally be the problem.
Mike
Okay, I would like to take another run at this. I have confirmed the operation of the TMCC as I have tested at a LHS and it worked. What I did not do is test the engine there. While that is still a variable I would think highly unlikely as the engine is new and I have subsequently purchased a second new TMCC engine. Neither seem to recognize the TMCC signal on my layout.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:The locomotive is not seeing any TMCC/Legacy track signal, that's the only reason that it'll come up live in conventional mode if it's a fully functional TMCC/Legacy locomotive.
This is the case. Both engines come up in conventional mode when in program mode. Again, I have tested the BASE and remote at a LHS. I cannot believe both new engines are faulty. So why is the loco not recognizing the TMCC signal in program mode?
Any takers?
Do any TMCC/Legacy engines run on the layout? Do you have the command base plugged into a properly grounded outlet?
No other TMCC. I have been strictly DCS. First venture to TMCC. Plugged into both power strip then wall. Neither made difference. Wire directly from base to Z4000 then to straight to track. Neither option made a difference.
Apropos of the comment above, if you have an older house and the outlets do not connect to grounding circuit that is literally grounded outside the house (as in newer homes), you will have no TMCC signal on the track. Likewise, if you have a properly grounded electrical system (many houses do not) you can attenuate (destroy) the TMCC signal by plugging the TMCC command base wall wart into a power strip that kills the radio frequency signal. Hence GRJ's question about plugged into an outlet rather than a power strip. But the outlet must be properly grounded through a whole house system.
House was built in 2005. I would guess it is properly grounded?
Good news is they are both bluetooth and that is sufficient for my need for speed control, couplers horn and whistle. Just eliminates any older TMCC without BT.
@msp posted:House was built in 2005. I would guess it is properly grounded?
It "should" be properly grounded, but don't assume. Here's a first step to check - use a receptacle tester like this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kl...ster-RT110/206517828
Or spend a couple bucks more and get one that also tests GFI function.
Like I said before, test the engines on a different layout, that will eliminate or indite them as the issue. If they're not the issue, you either have a problem with your command system or an installation issue. Narrow down the possibilities and it'll be easier to figure out which is the problem.
@Mallard4468 posted:It "should" be properly grounded, but don't assume. Here's a first step to check - use a receptacle tester like this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kl...ster-RT110/206517828
Or spend a couple bucks more and get one that also tests GFI function.
It wouldn't have passed electrical inspection without proper grounding in 2005.
@msp posted:Good news is they are both bluetooth and that is sufficient for my need for speed control, couplers horn and whistle. Just eliminates any older TMCC without BT.
Score one for Bluetooth!
@H1000 posted:It wouldn't have passed electrical inspection without proper grounding in 2005.
You should be right. Depends on how careful the inspection was. If there was one - which there should have been. But one can be sure for $10... I like insurance, especially when it's cheap, and I've seen too much sloppy work.
@Mallard4468 posted:You should be right. Depends on how careful the inspection was. If there was one - which there should have been. But one can be sure for $10... I like insurance, especially when it's cheap, and I've seen too much sloppy work.
Any inspector worth their weight in dirt already has the same $10 device and it's the easiest way to fail an inspection with minimal effort. Where I live, we have 2 city and 2 county inspectors any new build or remodel must be signed off by them before an occupancy certificate can be issued. It's usually a very strict process with a nice paper trail so you know who to blame when something wasn't done right.
But for $10, it's a good tool to keep around!
"I've seen too much sloppy work."
Even with work that is well done, connections loosen over time. This is true in particular for outlets with frequent use which can literally cause the outlet to get quite sloppy. One way of assessing this is your simple device, but another is to test the command base wall wart in another outlet in the same room to see if the outlet in use has lost its mechanical connection to ground for some reason. If all outlets are ungrounded, you know that the outside ground isn't working now or wasn't ever working properly.
Clearly something is specific to this fellow's house as the TMCC system worked fine at the dealer. The other thing to be sure of is that the wall wart power supply was used at the successful dealer's test. If it wasn't, the wall wart may be defective. No power or a broken ground wire in the wall wart could each fail to provide a good quality TMCC RF signal .
Okay - so here is the latest....I have set up a test track and brought out a separate transformer and hooked it up to the test. Test track is sitting in same room as layout in fact on my table for my layout. TMCC plugged into the same wall outlet - Voila it works on the test track! I was able to program the number and operate the engine. I made one change - moved the wire (connecting TMCC ) from the outside rail of test track to the outside track of my layout. then moved the engine over to my layout. Engine came up conventional - does not recognize tmcc
So to summarize
1. TMCC works
2. Engine works
3. Was able to program and operate on test track
4. Using same wall plug for TMCC and same engine..... was not able to work on my layout.
Thanks for the input.....
When i hook up the alternate transformer directly to the layout I get TMCC....
SO my DCS hookup/Z4000 is where this issues appears to be
I have programed two engines on the test track - after several attempts on my layout 1 of the engines actually worked once. But on a second try went back to conventional mode. So I have had one success
So hope someone finds this interesting. Set up the second transformer wired to the same terminal block my z4000 is wired to. Kept them both wired to the terminal block. Can run TMCC from second transformer. Then All I do is move the wire to the track from the second transformer and try to use the existing z4000....does not pick up the TMCC signal. So it looks like I could run TMCC would just have to use a dedicated second transformer to do it.
Well, that makes no sense to me, hundreds of people run TMCC/Legacy using the Z4000. There has to be more to the story...
I would look for a short between the outside rails (track common) and the ground plane (the house wiring ground).
Verify that your Z4000 common outputs are isolated from its power cord ground pin (with the on/off switch in both positions).
The only thing that changes is the wire from the TMCC either directly to transformer number 2 or directly to the track. Everything else stays the same.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Well, that makes no sense to me, hundreds of people run TMCC/Legacy using the Z4000. There has to be more to the story...
I hear you...I am open....
I will keep playing with it.....
although since I have a solution might just move on.......
any problem with two transformers going to the same terminal block - keep only one on at at time.
@msp posted:any problem with two transformers going to the same terminal block - keep only one on at at time.
A really huge problem! Feeding voltage back into the outputs will likely damage a transformer with electronic controls like the Z4000, and if you feed voltage back into a PW transformer like the ZW, you get 120 volts at the plug!
Been working on a couple projects since I have couple days off. Want to revisit this one.....
To summarize - I have completely DCS environment want to add Lionel CAB1 and remote. Cannot get TMCC to work on layout (one exception, see below). Set up test track (separate transformer) and it worked fine on separate test track transformer to track no TIU or anything. EXCeption. It did work one time after testing on the test track - got it to go about 10 feet then seemed to lose the signal. Every other time the engine starts in conventional mode.
1. CAB -1 works - worked it at a LHS.
2. Engines are new (about a year old) and working properly.
3. they work fine in conventional mode
4. command base plugged into wall
5. house 2005 properly wired
6. the one time it worked command wire to terminal block with black from TIU - also tried directly to the track.
Anyone one want to take this one on?
Thanks again.
Just to make sure, the power adaptor for the TMCC Base has three prongs to plug into the wall correct?
@H1000 posted:Just to make sure, the power adaptor for the TMCC Base has three prongs to plug into the wall correct?
No it does not.
@msp posted:No it does not.
There's your problem. The third prong is a grounding pin that serves in the important task of transmitting the TMCC signal through your household grounding system.
Fortunately there are work arounds to this: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...0#159660138867159620
is there just not a product I can go buy
@msp I run TMCC off my DCS system. Going back thru all the posts, there is a lot of good advice. Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one. @H1000 comment is spot on, Lionel used a different wall wart to power the TMCC control box, voltage is different and the ground pin not normally seen on common wall warts is a must. I ended up returning my first TMCC unit as it did not have the wall wart and I did not like the "work around" offered on the forum. I could not find only the 3 prong wall wart anywhere. Make sure you have the recommended cable for connecting the DCS and TMCC boxes.
The other issue you may run into is the engine address number. DCS cannot change the Lionel address and changing it on the TMCC roster does nothing. Either you get lucky the engine is still on "0" or "1" (don't remember the default) or you need the TMCC handheld to create a new engine address number. @Mark Boyce has a nice description on how he solved the issue. Once you understand the solution its simple, however figuring it out was a nightmare for me.
The DCS TMCC engine operating interface is OK but not great, so my tendency is to run those engines on transformer control. I have a 4 Atlas and Weaver engines which run TMCC - I am considering changing their controls to the new Blunami Decoders over time.
@msp is there just not a product I can go buy -- You could just buy an old Cab1 Command Base and Remote Control with the correct wall wart - they can rival the cost of the new Lionel system. Or just "bite-the-bullet and order the new Base 3.
I picked up my replacement base for $80 and a remote for $60. Right now sets are pushing $250 to $350. Not sure why I would spend $250 or more on an ancient system when the replacement is around $450 - when it becomes available.
Absent those options, its run the engines on transformer control or do a conversion.
@ScoutingDad posted:@msp I run TMCC off my DCS system. Going back thru all the posts, there is a lot of good advice. Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one. @H1000 comment is spot on, Lionel used a different wall wart to power the TMCC control box, voltage is different and the ground pin not normally seen on common wall warts is a must. I ended up returning my first TMCC unit as it did not have the wall wart and I did not like the "work around" offered on the forum. I could not find only the 3 prong wall wart anywhere. Make sure you have the recommended cable for connecting the DCS and TMCC boxes.
The other issue you may run into is the engine address number. DCS cannot change the Lionel address and changing it on the TMCC roster does nothing. Either you get lucky the engine is still on "0" or "1" (don't remember the default) or you need the TMCC handheld to create a new engine address number. @Mark Boyce has a nice description on how he solved the issue. Once you understand the solution its simple, however figuring it out was a nightmare for me.
The DCS TMCC engine operating interface is OK but not great, so my tendency is to run those engines on transformer control. I have a 4 Atlas and Weaver engines which run TMCC - I am considering changing their controls to the new Blunami Decoders over time.
thank you - so I think my options are
@H1000 posted:There's your problem. The third prong is a grounding pin that serves in the important task of transmitting the TMCC signal through your household grounding system.
Fortunately there are work arounds to this: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...0#159660138867159620
want to revisit this one time before I go buy a three prong plug or try some other fix. I do get it to work on a separate test track. Separate transformer and test track it works 3 feet either way. Also had it at LHS and it worked there as well.
Just wanted to be sure those facts didn't change anything.
The TMCC signal while transmitted over the track is not directly picked up from the wheels of your engine. Every TMCC engine has an antenna that receives the signal. While you can get this to work on a test track and some layouts, the earth ground (third prong) on your outlet is also used to essentially turn your whole house into a TMCC transmitter in addition to the outside rails of your track.
Re: "TMCC signal while transmitted over the track is not directly picked up from the wheels of your engine." ... is not correct, please review Dale Manquen's article on the TMCC signal.
@H1000 posted:The TMCC signal while transmitted over the track is not directly picked up from the wheels of your engine. Every TMCC engine has an antenna that receives the signal.
The antenna is clearly part of the equation, but without the track connection, you ain't going anywhere. The signal on the track is NOT picked up by the antenna, AAMOF if you get too much track signal close to the antenna, it swamps out the actual over-the-air TMCC signal. The signal on the track goes directly to the TMCC receiver, it provides the common for the received over-the-air signal.
@Tracker John posted:Re: "TMCC signal while transmitted over the track is not directly picked up from the wheels of your engine." ... is not correct, please review Dale Manquen's article on the TMCC signal.
As it was explained to me by a Lionel rep back in 1998, the connection to the outside rails of the track acts as a ground reference/plane. The antenna does not receive a signal from the outside rails as was stated in the document you referenced: We must stop here to dispel Myth Number 1 – “The antenna on a TMCC locomotive picks up the Track signal.” Yes the U terminal connection is important to receiving the OTA TMCC signal, I should have been more clear in my earlier statement.
Before Dale Manquen analyzed how the TMCC signal propagates and is received by the locomotives, Lionel's patent (5,441,223 dated 15 Aug 1994) was the go-to reference for TMCC. The patent's diagrams show two RF signals - the CAB1<->Base1 communication, and a signal radiating from the track. The "Earth ground" signal component from the house wiring is not illustrated in patent diagrams. The patent states:
The controller transmits control signals between a rail of the track and earth ground, generating an electromagnetic field which extends for several inches around the track. A receiver in the locomotive can then pick up signals from this electromagnetic field.
Myth Number 1 on how the locomotive receives the TMCC signal.
The patent statement, along with the patent's diagrams illustrating the field radiating from the track, led me to believe the locomotive's antennas were picking up the radiated track signal. Additional explanations from Lionel techs did not correct my misunderstanding. Myth Number 1 was firmly in my mind.
I was challenged to solve TMCC signal issues on a multi-level layout and Lionel's videos on TMCC at the time - especially the one describing a TMCC Force Field - were not helpful. This thread questions Lionel's explanation of the TMCC signal. (Thankfully, the link to the referenced TMCC Force Field video now returns "It looks like you are heading the wrong way.")
Dale's explanation on TMCC signal propagation produced an AHA! moment that guided me to a solution that used strategically placed Earth ground wires. The signal field radiated by the house Earth ground wiring is critical for TMCC reception in the locomotives. The signal portion received from the track common via the wheels and frame of the loco can be assumed to be strong. But the signal portion received from the house wiring is much weaker and depends on the proximity of house ground wires. Obstructions and metal objects on the layout connected to track common will weaken the ground signal. Strengthening the house ground signal on the layout has solved all of my TMCC signal challenges. The forum has numerous threads (search TMCC ground plane) on how to accomplish this.
So if you are having TMCC signal issues after doing basic troubleshooting (i.e. the third pin of the power brick is connected to the DC barrel plug and the outlet itself is grounded), a review of Dale's TMCC Signal Basics is recommended. Imagine how the house ground signal is propagating to the locomotive trouble spots on the layout and find a way to provide the TMCC ground plane to that area.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
