Getting started with TMCC - is there a "How-to" available?

[MTsteamfan]

Hi all,

I have been into Lionel since I was a kid, have been responsible for a holiday layout for about 15 years at my job, and now am interested in getting into Command Control.

Can anyone point me to a good basic "how-to" on what I need to buy to start out with? The Lionel catalog is very confusing on exactly what's necessary.

Our layout is basically two large concentric loops with a crossover between them, and a couple of sidings. (No fancy switching or anything. This is basically a "watching the trains run" layout. I'm mostly interested in the remote control aspect of TMCC.) We have several older standard engines and two command-equipped ones from the last couple of years.

We already have the command base/remote. What else do we need? We don't have any ZWs but do have an LW and an older S transformer.

Any recommendations or directions to wiring diagrams would be appreciated.

[spankybird]

you can try this for a start

http://www.hobbystation.net/tmcc.html

[ben10ben]

http://www.coilcouplers.com/tmc/tmc.html

[spankybird]

You could also pick on one the video tapes from OGR

Here is the link

http://www.ogaugerr.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&keywords=Trainmaster

[MTsteamfan]

Thanks for the input, will check those out. I've already learned a lot reading the forum over the past couple of months.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Before I started out with TMCC, I made two visits to two different train stores and asked how it worked. They made me sketches, showed me the pieces and parts and let me try the CAB-1 to run a TMCC engine.

I then bought a video and it was very easy after that.