I've just finished setting up a quick and dirty layout using track I had laying around. I am powering it with a Z-4000, and have a TIU and command base connected to each other using the serial cable. They are connected as follows: Z-4000 - TIU - Surge suppressor (DTK) - terminal blocks (TMCC connected here) - drops to the track.

The problem I have is that TMCC engines get a bad signal in the highlighted section of track. The signal drop shows as headlights flickering, engine slowing, signals not getting thru to engine.

The signal is unaffected in the inner block (wired separately), as well as on the outer loop. I have tried disconnecting the faulty section at the switch (the top end is already insulated on all three rails), but the problem remained.



I figure I've got some sort of a ground loop, but the track is all on the same level, so the interference is not from above or below. Could feeder wires be interfering with the signal?

What could be the cause, and what solution?

NH Chris

With your layout, the multiple parallel tracks could be causing the signal interferance. Use a wire from your water pipe between your middle track and the outside. If that fails to correct the problem then you will need to run another ground wire (from water pipe) between the middle and inside track. Some forum members have used wire between telephone poles to accomplish the same thing. On mine it is between the homosote layer and the plywood. On a earlier layout it even worked under the plywood. Good luck and search the forum for other references. There have been many threads addressing this issue.

I use 2 inch wide foil tape under the wood where each track in mounted. You can find it near the air conditioning / cooler supplies, at Home Depot. To connect wires and pieces of tape together, I used staples driven thew the tape into the wood.

Well, I've placed a rudimentary ground plane wire between the middle track and outside track, and it has improved, but not solved the problem. It does not follow the track geometry. That is to say, it zigs and zags under and near the track. Do I need to keep it a certain distance from the track to be "protected"?

In reading other posts on the issue, there are many different ground plane suggestions. [And TMCC was supposed to be simple! And then I read that some are having even greater problems with ground planes and Legacy. Argh!]

Is/was there any single thread that evaluates and itemizes how to make a TMCC ground plane (like Barry's 10 DCS Commandments)? If not, maybe someone should make one up. (hint, hint)

Thanks for the help.

NH Chris

On mine that works, I just ran a zig zag pattern between the homosote and the plywood; however, it worked for me on my first layout even being placed under the plywood.