Blocks With Legacy or DCS

[loisj4912]

Is it possible to set up blocks with Legacy or DCS & run Legacy locomotives.

I want to be able to have a train stop in a block until one passes and the next train to start on its own.  People have told me this will not work with a Legacy locomotive.

[chuck]

Both DCS and Legacy (and the older TMCC) always have full power to the track.  Locomotives don't do anything unless/untill you tell them to.  Legacy and DCS have "record/playback" functions that allow for procedures to be stored/repeated.  TMCC had an ARC device that could do the same.  I'm not sure I fully understand what you are asking.

[CB&Q]

loisj4912

Is it possible to set up blocks with Legacy or DCS & run Legacy locomotives.

I want to be able to have a train stop in a block until one passes and the next train to start on its own.  People have told me this will not work with a Legacy locomotive.

 

 

  If you mean can you set up blocks and turn power on and off for that block and not the rest using legacy cab-2 and base only then thats a no,

can you do it another way yes.

to set blocks up you need to determine where you want that to happen and you can then use relays wired so when that train comes it will stop and the other train will pass in front of it. this is not hard but is very labor intensive wiring wise. as you need a relay to stop 1st train using an isolated track on the 2nd trains loop of track and you need to have the switches setup to change too! then after  the second train gets to a point farther away from 1st train it will cross another isolated track section allowing power to come on where 1st train was stopped. I'm not sure if you can keep enough power to that locomotive to keep it so when full power comes on it will start off in forward as it was before being stopped as I've never tried this using command control engines.

I once had 2 loops of track that conventional engines were used. I could run 4 trains on each loop and they would stop before rear ending the next it was great for having company over and watch there faces when I came out from train area and talked to them while the trains ran themselves, as always they asked me how are you doing that my standard answer was MAGIC! but it took a lot of wire and a few words when I messed up and things didn't work as planned. are you saying oh heck no yet? these first 2 options are for conventional engines but the concept should apply to command engines

they used to sell computer boards that you could wire up to your layout that took a lot of the extra relays and wiring out  to simplify it all not sure any are still in business now.

next option you can purchase a tpc and bpc from lionel the tpc receives power from transformer and goes into the tpc then power is sent from the tpc to bpc and then a wire from each bpc 4 track power outputs to each block that you setup on your track, this setup allows you to use the cab-2 to turn power on and off to each individual block same idea as a on\off toggle switch.this is also used for conventional engine running.

now if all you want is to stop the train then the easiest is to address the engine in either legacy or dcs remotes you can stop the train before the switch and move the switch rails to allow the other train to pass in front of the stopped train then set switch for stopped train to allow it to go ahead or go on the outer set of tracks this method requires no blocks as command engines can sit ildleing  just like the real ones. hope this helps you.     

 

[3railguy]

I do not have a Legacy outfit but I am using TMCC. For automatic stop blocks, I trickle juice into the block with an 8 ohm 25 watt resistor connected between the power buss and block center rail. The resistor trickles enough juice into the block to maintain the TMCC speed setting, but keeps the engine from moving. Once the main power is switched back on in the block, it over-rides the resistor. The resistor must draw current from the same source as the block for it to work. The ohm rating depends on the kind of amperage your engines typically draw so it's best to experiment with several ohm ratings. 25 watts is as small as you want to go due to heat and amperage draw.

[loisj4912]

Thank you for the information.  I think between what you have told me and what 3railguy has said I should be able to make this work.