What I would like to know is if I were to install an additional ground wire from point A to B; ground outside rail, to another ground outside rail on the same loop would that improve a TMCC signal? Looks like a blinking light on a Loco seems to indicate a weak signal and was wondering if this additional ground wire along a loop would improve the signal. thanks
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The ground wire or “ground plane” that’s mentioned to cure TMCC/Legacy signal issues is NOT the transformer outside rail ground. It is the ground wire from the TMCC/Legacy base wall wart. The two halves of the 455khz tracklink signal antenna is the outside rail and the ground wire of your house. If you’re going to run a ground wire to improve the signal it must be connected to earth ground NOT the ground out of a transformer. Earth ground could be a cold water pipe, the plate screw on a properly grounded electrical outlet or if you’re confident in your skills the ground plug on a properly grounded outlet.
So would it be an advantage to add a wire from the Legacy Base to the ground of the elec outlet? (I would use the cover plate screw). thanks
You can use pin 5 of the command base serial port; that's the earth ground that your base is using. Connect your ground wire there - if you have wired TMCC accessories like a TPC or ASC, that is the "COM" wire running to them.
You shouldn't need to run a wire from the wall to the base, just from some source of earth ground to the area of trouble. NOT to the outside rail!
Just to be clear is it the headlight thats constantly blinking and the locomotive comes to a stop?
OR: A blinking cab light that indicates an electronic malfunction, the cab light will blink in a pattern giving you the diagnostic code, i.e. 2 or 3 blinks consecutively with a short break in between. Diagnostic codes are in the back of the owners manual.
If it is a"ground plane issue" typically this occurs in a select area of a layout where there are multiple parrallel tracks,next to each other or on different levels.
Locomotives with smaller antennas, i.e. diesels are most suceptible to this problem. Steamers use the handrails as antennas so the problem is not as common among them.
A locomotive that blinks the headlight and has signal issues anywhere on a layout is likely to have its own antenna problem, not related to your layout.
There are always exceptions and multiple tracks does not guarantee there will be a ground plane problem.
The Loco blinks in certain areas of the layout, and at certain points comes to a stop, so there is some kind of signal problem I believe. When TMCC first came out I talked to a Lionel tech and he seem to suggest, in a general format, to run a ground wire parallel to the track for good signal continuity(this was before I had a signal problem). I was wondering if I connected ground wires at different points along the track would it help much. I appreciate all your info.
You were half right with your post three posts up. You merely connect a wire to the screw or ground lug on the plug going into the outlet and lay it in the offending area, it does not get connected to anything else.
Usually folks lay it between the multiple parallell tracks where the signal issues occur.
Heres ground plane issue "for dummies" myself included as explained by Mike Reagan. Some have questioned the technical aspects of this video but I've found it very helpful.
Go to 7:25 to get to ground planes:
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