Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
Digital Command System vs TrainMaster Command Control
Steve asks readers:
“Hi, I really (think I) want to move from Conventional to DCS (Digital Command System) / TMCC (TrainMaster Command Control). The current O scale layout is 8 x 16, and use Conventional Postwar, Modern, and TMCC Lionel, along with Modern P1, P2, and P3 MTH Locomotives.
- The current Layout
- 8 track blocks using 2 ZW transformers.
- Three (3) Mainlines connected by 2 common sections, with 3 spurs off the main lines.
- Switches are isolated power (non-track) connected to a Lionel 1033,
- Accessories are toggle switched to an LW.
- The 3 main tracks run off 3 bus lines with dropdowns about every 6 feet.
- The two common sections are wired directly to two(2) ZW terminals.
- The layout is basically two separate large loops – an upper and a lower level- with an inner figure 8.
- At the south end the figure 8 and the lower outside loop use a common track section about 6 feet long. At the north end the upper and lower outside loops share a common track for about 2 feet.
So my transformers power an “A” loop, “B” loop, “C” loop as Mains, an “A-B” common, and an “A-C” common, then the 3 isolated spurs on the remaining 3 terminals. Each uses a separate ZW terminal. The remainders are on the ZWs are for isolated sidings,Everything is color coded so I pretty well know what wires goes to what.
So my questions are:
1) TMCC vs DCS
2) What’s involved in moving to DCS / TMMC
3) Can I run post war, and my moderns
One problem I do currently have is that unless my isolated blocks are all at the exact voltage the post war Locos trip into neutral when changing blocks.
Can you help me please?”
One Response to Digital Command System vs TrainMaster Command Control
Leave a Reply
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Download Your Free Catalog
Use Tiny Railroad Micro Controllers
Model Train Help Ebook
Can’t address DCS vs TMCC. I don’t know how modern manufactured locos are designed to operate but it seems the “post war” locos are doing what they were designed to do. A break or sudden change in voltage trips a relay that cycles through forward, idle, reverse, idle, forward, etc.. Perhaps a capacitor could make them less susceptible to sudden voltage changes, but I’d think one would want to have the voltage pretty well matched to avoid sudden changes in speed even if you didn’t trigger the relay. Many post war locos had a switch that would bypass the relay, so it won’t cycle but stay in the mode it was in when the switch was thrown. That way it won’t go to idle on changing to a mismatched block, but then you’d have to throw the switch back again to be able to reverse.