whats the diff between the tmcc tpc 400 and the lionel powermaster[#welcome]
Hey SD-40T, The main difference is the number of features. PM-1 is the minimum you need to operate convential engines with the CAB-1 remote. It has 9 addressable “blocks” or tracks so use can use up to 9 PMs per remote. It can manage up to 135 or 180 watts of power selectable by the operator. Very basic. The TPC 400 is the top of the line track controller. It can operate MTH protosounds 2.0, regulates up to 400 watts of power and has 99 assignable addresses. For a basic layout like mine, (3 loops, 6 switches and 11 x 7) I use 3 PMs, one for each loop and have divided the track into 8 separate blocks. I use ATLAS 215 three position selector switches to route power between the PMs and the various blocks. A TMCC block power controller is in the plans so I won’t need the manual atlas switches. It all depends on how much power you use and how big the layout is. If you are small to medium PMs will do the trick as long as you don’t have more than 9 loops at one time. I know this sounds confusing but I hope it helps. Good luck.
STEVE
[#welcome] SD-40T-2,
I believe that the powermaster is a type of transformer and the TPC 300 or 400 is a form of variable rheostat(varies the power output). Not sure if the TPC is part of the TMCC system or not, maybe somebody more knowledgeable on Lionel systems will chime-in!
Lee F.
The PM-1 PowerMaster is not a transformer. It is a mate to the 135 or 180 PowerHouse transformers, and in conventional mode controls track power(in 32 steps), whistle/horn & bell functions from the CAB-1. In Command Mode, it acts as a circuit breaker, system shut down(halt), & current limiter.
Rob
To add to Rob’s description:
TMCC PowerMaster
Manage the power in your blocks from the CAB-1 Remote Controller.
FEATURES:
Control non-TMCC locomotives from the CAB-1 Remote Controller
Vary track voltage
Change locomotive direction, vary speed, operate whistle and bell
Regulates up to 135 watts of power or 180 watts of power - customer selectableto channel power from four TPCs to two blocks OR from two TPCs to four blocks
TMCC Track Power Controller (TPC) 400
The TPC 400 combines the features of the PowerMaster plus:
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Operates M.T.H.® Proto-Sound® 2.0 locomotives in conventional mode
Improved operation at low speeds
Regulates up to 400 watts of power
I used the TMCC Powermaster for many years until I enlarged the layout to approximately 200 feet of track where at that time based on the recommendation of TMCC whiz kid, Roy McClellen (Did you know he designed the electrical system for Lionel’s NYC Christmas display layout?) I traded out the the Powermaster to a TPC 300. If I was running more track, I more than likely would have gone to the TPC 400 and additional power.
If the TPC 400 will regulate 400 wats how do you get 400 wats to it? multiple powerhouses or transformers. Does all that power have to be divided up into different blocks? Or could you apply all 400 wats to one block or to the whole layout if said layout was not divided into blocks. That way you could have multiple trains in the same area on the same "block "at the same time? I think what Iam really getting at is I would like to have more than 180 wats available to me for the whole layout without having to cross blocks with different powersupplies.
There is a cable that enables two PowerHouse Bricks to plug into the TPC.
Rob
So to get 320 wats to the whole layout at the same time ( no blocks)I would need A TPC 400 2 180 bricks and the special cable. Wonder if you could combine 3 135 watt bricks some how yes I know that goes over by 5 wats. Can you use 2 post war ZW’s with the cable or do they need to be the bricks.
jmkk
the tpc [300 or 400] allows you to run conventional. the pwrmaster does so as well. steps and watts is the key difference.
you can power the tpc’s [300 or 400] with pw zw’s. BUT…BUT… be sure to fuse and surge protect the devices or you will fry $$$$ on the first derailment. both sides of the tpc.
PW zw===>fuse/tvs===>tpc===tvs/fuse==track
there are lots of threads on the subject including fuse/tvs product suggestions. just search
ralph
You could do that. 2 180 bricks will give you 360 watts output, though.
You could do that too.
Rob
I am a big fan of the TPC’s. As indicated in earlier comments you have very good control of PS-2 functions in a convemtional mode as well as any other non-command engines. One aspect that I have truely learned to appreciate is that with the TPC you can set minimum and maximum voltage to the track when operating in a conventional mode. If you have little folks visit that you let run trains you can utilize these features to eliminate tripping e-units during station stops, etc(not have to go thru N-F-N-R everytime the is engine stopped) and setting a maximum voltage allows the control of max speed to minimize the risk of derailments or big time crashes.
On the club layout we use the TPC-400 with two 180 bricks for power.
Doug…Approximately how many feet of track to you power with the TPC 400 and the two bricks at the museum?
(For those who do not follow the adventures of Doug, here is the url for the museum: http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com/ )
Buckeye,
Off hand I don’t know how many feet of track, but I would guess by the time you figure three of the four mains are essentially folded dogbones 300 to 400 feet each and the fourth maybe two thirds of them.
Each main has as a power source, your choice for operating, of a Z-4000 or the two 180 bricks with control byTMCC, DCS, TPC’s, MTH handhelds or plain old throttle handles on the Z’s themselves.
If you happen to have the Jun/Jul 2004 (I think ) issue of CTT handy it has a very nice photo spread and story on the layout, that’s what prompted me to join the SD3Railers.