I am using a PWC ZW with 4 135W Bricks connected. The ZW was re-programmed using Legacy, as TR1,
so posts AU and DU are controlled by TMMC1 or Legacy and posts BU and CU deliver power when manually turned up.

I am having very strange behavior with the following trains operating on the AU circuit:

Pennsylvania PA-1 AA; PB-1; PA Railsounds Caboose. In TMCC1 I built a lashup that works fine.

If I turn off Legacy, connect "1 wire" to TMCC base, all works well as it has for several years.

If I turn on Legacy, connect "1 wire" to Legacy I have the following situation:

With the 3 engine units on the track: When I address TR1 (AU) power comes up as I turn the velocity wheel and all is well.

After powering down,

If I add the Railsounds caboose to the track and try to power up as above, the ZW actually goes to zero volts on all four channels and the green light goes off. To restart I need to turn off the brick connected to AU and turn it back on. A little side note: If I power up TR4 (DU) with the caboose on it, power up TR1 with the 3 engines on it, roll the caboose onto the same track controlled by TR1, all is fine!

The temporary cure is to take the caboose off the layout, but that is not the answer.

Otherwise Legacy is working fine even though this is actually my first day using it.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

Stan

First ZW's should be set to zero [0] when using Legacy.

I had some troubles with a lashup with the Lionel TrainSounds caboose. Legacy remote must say engines and cab are TMCC not legacy controlled. Caboose is old cab1 and must be entered first in a lashup to dumb down the legacy engines etc. Don't know if that is what affects your transformer but I would not be surprised.

What I ended up doing is running the caboose with a separate engine number and calling it with the old Cab1 remote to turn it on and get it talking. I like the Caboose but I will end up going to a nicer non talker and use the TMCC caboose behind an older Lionel TMCC1 engine.

Billman: Thanks for the reply.

I would rather not set the ZW as #0 in case I want to run a conventional loco. Of course if there is not other fix now, I will do so. In fact I will try the setting to see if there is a change to the shut down problem I am having.

I can run the railsounds caboose fine in TMCC 1 as part of the lashup. Now that Legacy is here what you say makes sense regarding addressing it separatly if it cannot be part of the lashup. By the way, none of my lashup is a Legacy engine, so I may still be OK. But I first have to get the ZW to accept even having the caboose on the track.

While all of this is going on, I had to do a system restore!

I'm hoping that this will be the one time only to do this.

Stan

very weird that my legacy and zw was working for a week ok with the zw set to TR1

I would just add that have new zw with two 180 power bricks.I set it to tr1 and tr4 running two loops .They are separate currently and have on tmcc loco on one loop and one non tmcc on other loop. I can control the tmcc no problem and also can control speed ,sound horn on the non tmcc engine. So it appears the new zw don't need a powermaster or tpc to do this on conventional engines. They were supposedly built in.

I did have some problems powering up my tracks. Then figured I had to select tr and then 1 or 4,then hit boost and then turn the red dial on the legacy.
I then set my handles on my zw where I want the max voltage to be as safety measure. My tmcc engine worked right off the bat with legacy but it says tmcc diesel not tmcc steam. Assume should download the generic chip for tmcc steam.Also it seems if want to run conventional only have to not turn on legacy base. Even with the zw set to tr1 and tr4 it seems to work normally with no legacy signal from the base turned off.

I spoke with Lionel technical support today regarding this issue.

I was told that they are aware of the compatability problems with Legacy and the PWC ZW and hope to have it fixed in the next version.

This is good news! I'm glad to hear it as I'm sure are many others.

Stan

I too am having serious problems with Legacy and the PWC ZW. channel B looses control from the handheld. Channel A sometimes looses control. If I run two trains at once on the same loop the ZW shuts down, all 3 channels.

Are there others who are having trouble? Any specifice out of Lionel as to what is going on.

If I go bact to just TMCC 1 all works fine.

Any comment from the developers?


Jim

Guys, if you have the time, check out this thread:

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/54860292/m/2331018954

I am experiencing some issues with the PWC ZW and Legacy too and hopefully they'll be some resolution soon. Programming to TR 0 is not a solution, only a workaround that I've yet to even verify.

Great news!!!

I decided to call Lionel about the PWC ZW shutting down issue that I described previously. I was given an RA (for my 8 year old PWC ZW) and was told that they are aware of the problem and have a cure - a replacement board.

What other toy gets an extended warranty after 7+ years of use?

To make Lionel still even better - moments ago I got a call from Mike Regan (now with Lionel, formerly TA Studios) who very graciously described that they had a bad batch of replacement boards and are getting replacements and expect to get my ZW back to me in about 4-6 weeks.

Mike told me that they have receivded about a dozen PWC ZWs with the same problem, that it does relate to using Legacy (problem did not appear with TMCC 1) and that they promise to make it work properly!

I am thrilled with the call, proud of Lionel and happy that my PWC ZW will be fixed.

Well done Lionel!

This is how you stay #1.

Stan

What excellent customer service!

quote:

To make Lionel still even better - moments ago I got a call from Mike Regan (now with Lionel, formerly TA Studios) who very graciously described that they had a bad batch of replacement boards and are getting replacements and expect to get my ZW back to me in about 4-6 weeks.

When did Mike go to Lionel? This is pretty big news! Lionel is really bringing in some talent!

It's back!!!!!!!!!

I received the PWC ZW yesterday.

The repair ticket lists part #691ZWPC100, ZW Circuit Board W/REV.7 Code.

I reinstalled the ZW and gave it a good testing and it works great!!

THANK YOU LIONEL for making this upgrade.

I am still amazed at this extraordinarilly GREAT customer service.

Stan

Stan,

Thanks for the update, glad it is working as expected You are very welcome!

That is spectacular news. Is this something I can do on my own?

I purchased a spare ZW board last year for about $100 from the Lionel site. The label on the controller IC says ZWC06 so I guess this is rev 6 (dang!).

The chip is socketed if you can get the updated IC from Lionel. There is a bit of mechanical disassembly to swap the board - all the rear terminals must be removed and a heat sink for each channel. The electrical connections for the lamps and potentiometers plug into sockets on the board.