Command system

[jat875]

Just bought the Lionel trainmaster command system and I need to know what else I need to run a o gauge train with out tmcc

[chuck]

Do you mean without using the command system or do you mean control of conventional trains while using the command system.  The first case requires transformers.  Second case can be handled by Lionel PowerMasters, a Modern ZW (this also covers case 2), or TPC's (track power controllers).  The modern ZW has four PowerMasters built in and can handle up to 720 watts of total power.  The TPC's can handle either 300 or 400 watts.  Each PowerMaster or TPC can control one independat block of track.  If you wanted to control four conventional loco's independant of each other you would need one PowerMaster or TPC for each block/loco.

[jat875]

I plan on running two trains, so I would need two tpc's or two powermasters. Which one would be better for my 4x8 layout. Is there a way to use just one tpc or power master.Thanks for the info

[chuck]

 TPC's are probably overkill.  They are very nice and have a lot of features but they are also more expensive (I like them and this is what I actually use).  You can use a single one from a power standpoint but you won't have independant control.  Every time you hit a whistle/horn or direction button, both engines will respond.  If you need to be able to control them individually, you need two.

[jat875]

So two powermasters would be good enough for me.

[chuck]

Probably.  How is the layout configured?  If these are seperate "loops", yes.  If they interconnect by a pair of switches to make a crossover, maybe.  As the track configuration gets more elaborate it becomes "it depends".  If you have block control wiring that allows you to cut over any given block of track to a particular PowerMaster/Transformer than you would only need the two.  There are some illustrations of multi PowerMaster configurations in the older Lionel TMCC guide book that you can download from the Lionel web site:

http://www.lionel.com/customerservice/service-documents/download.cfm?file=71-2911-250.pdf

[jat875]

Right know I'm going to have a outside loop with a figure 8 inside of it. I did want to connect the two.

[chuck]

If you only have one crossover, things get tricky as both trains will be in one  block whenever you execute a transfer.  It will still be tricky with two crossover's but you would probably have more wiggle room.  If one of the loco's is in command mode it's probably easier to execute as you can throttle that one up and down without worrying about affecting the other (non command) one.  Remember to set up isolation pins on the center rails in the middle sections of track for each crossover (these pins defines the boundaries between block a and block b) and that your power supplies are phased properly.