TMCC Questions

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

I have started to operate my new layout and have started to think (fantasize) about going to TMCC. My questions with a possible conversion are:

  1. Would I be able to use my MTH Z4000’s to power the TMCC system or would I hve to switch to Lionel Bricks?

  2. I would need to purchase at least 7 TMCC equiped engines to do an operating session - 2 small yard switchers: 2 road switchers: 1 engine for my coal drags (all steam): an AA set for passenger trains and a road switcher like a GP7 for freights. I am looking for low end products in Pennsy paint for all these locos. What would be my start up cost (ballpark)?

  3. I know I would need the base and at least 3 controls to start, but what else?

I am now using a regular block system and have kinda thought about upgrading but am unsure of the price to get it off the ground. I know my MTH engines will not work with TMCC and do not want to use both systems so am willing to forgo MTH in favor of TMCC. That being said I also use a few postwar engines and am wondering if TMCC is like DCC in reguards to being able to use on engine at a time with TMCC aas long as the rest are TMCC controled.

Any input might help me make a better informed decision.

Thanks

2

  1. The Z4000 is just fine for powering the track, no need for Lionel Bricks.

  2. Thats a question with no really up front answer. You could look around on the internet train shops, eBay, or your hobby shop and see what Pennsy engines they have. My estimate is that most TMCC engines are $300 up, so it would be around $2100 for 7 engines.

  3. I’m not sure what your meaning by “at least 3 controls”. All you need to operate your TMCC layout is your transformer, base, remote, and TMCC engines. And of course… track… [;)]

I hope this helps.

3

If you have exsiting loco’s you can equip them with TMCC receiver/motor control boards. Electric RR and Train America Studios make after market conversion boards.

You can use multiple CAB-1’s with a single command base.

You can use the Z 4000 as a power source but you may be pushing things trying to run 7 loco’s off of a total of 360 watts.

You can control conventional loco’s but you need devices like a modern ZW, a TPC (track Power Controller) or a PowerMaster to allow the CAB-1 to act as a remote throttle. TMCC doesn’t care about blocks as far as signal propogation is concerned, it is strictly use for power management. This allows you to use multiple smaller transformers to cover areas of a layout instead of trying to force 300-400 watts through a single large transformer.

4

right now I am using 2 Z4000’s to power my layout. This is what i would continue to use if I was to convert. I would want to have at least three handhelds, maybe 4 so I could have other operators. Could I convert older K-Line and Lionel loco’s to TMCC at a reduced cost? What would it be about?. Also could I convert MTH engines that do not have DCS to TMCC?

5

Two Z-4000’s should provice enough power. You can convert almost any locomotive to TMCC, open frame AC motors, can motors, flywheel equipped can motors. Here are some links to suppliers of TMCC boards:

http://www.tastudios.com/tascmdupgrades.htm

http://www.digitdynam.com/

http://www.electricrr.com/

You just need enough room for the board and some way to set up an antenna to receive the signals. This is less of an issue for plastic shelled diesels. Die cast steamers often have the electronic boards in the tenders.

When you look at the price lists, remember to seperate out sound boards from TMCC. You can add sound without TMCC and you can have TMCC without sounds, or do both. You also have choices of whether to add cruise control or not.

6

Thanks for the input. I am not sure how doable this is with my budget but I would like to try to see if it would work.

7

I just found this old thread, which is dedicated to a the same subject I’m interested in. It is now approx 6 months later- how did things work out?

I understand old locos can be converted by installation of some sort of conversion kit. On a 2046 for example, is their room in the engine or do you pack it into the tender? If you have conventional block control with seperate loops controlled by seperate throttles of 2 original ZW’s phased together, do you need to revise any of that? I searched Kalmbach’s CTT Index’s and didn’t find any articles that I could immediately recognize as discussing how you would make a conversion from the old to the new.