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Lionel ZW and TMCC

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  • Member since
    December 2012
  • 1 posts
Lionel ZW and TMCC
Posted by trainsforebob on Saturday, December 1, 2012 11:22 AM

I am returning to my childhood, but technology has progressed beyond my scope of knowledge, I have an original ZW and got the TMCC starer kit, I set up a prototype layout to test stuff, my question is I have 3 block sections. do i jump groundwire from the TMCC base to each ground terminal on the ZW, how does this work?  Help..

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • 227 posts
Posted by nickaix on Saturday, December 1, 2012 9:12 PM

On most layouts, the outer rails are common and are all connected to each other (excluding the insulated ones for non-derailing switches, etc). On the ZW, the common terminals are all connected to each other inside the transformer. So you can run the wire from the Command Base to any (non insulated) outer rail on your layout, or to any of the four common / ground terminals on the ZW. Since everything is connected, only one wire is needed.

  • Member since
    November 2010
  • 993 posts
Posted by gunrunnerjohn on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 9:40 AM

I STRONGLY suggest you provide external circuit protection from each of the ZW outputs to the tracks.  I'd use both in-line fast acting circuit breakers or fuses and a TVS protection diode across each track connection.

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