Action Car Question

[rick486]

I've got the Polar Express "Announcement Car" with the conductor hanging out shouting "All aboard, this is the Polar Express" which works fine in conventional mode with the bell button on the transformer AND works with the PowerMaster controller (for operating conventional trains with the CAB-1)

However, all my engines, including the PE 0-27 are now TMCC controlled and the action car doesn't "announce" except when I walk over and hit the "bell" button on the transformer.

I've tried to power up the PowerMaster (6-24130) and attach just the "U" wire to the outside rail for signal transmission (don't want to hook both wires up as I'd have a conflict with the transformer / TMCC Command Base (6-12911) which operates all the TMCC engines) --- NO GO on that one, could not address the announce car in a conventional signal using the PowerMaster in that manner.

Any ideas on how to operate this PE Announce Car using the CAB-1 without a lot of hassle?

Thanks
Rich:)

[pmilazzo]

If you want to control the anouncement car from DCS or TMCC, you will need a receiver for either of those systems. Thankfully, Electric RR has a solution for TMCC which can be controlled by both systems using TMCC called the mini-commander.

Check out the Hot Box Reefer kit example on the ERR webpage under "OP Car Kits". That is what you will need.

http://www.electricrr.com/

[rick486]

I've figured out how to operate the "announce" car using the CAB-1 and ZW Powerhouse WITHOUT buying or installing anything...See my post/thread: "Tips on the ZW, TMCC..." Should work for any action car rolling stock that uses the "BELL" button on the transformer to activate.

Rich

[tbrook]

Rich,
I don't know where I was when you posted the solution to the cab-1/bell/ polar announcement car. What was your solution again, please.

[rick486]

I had to look up my old post on the ZW (see link for full details at the end)--geez, I can't remember from last year what I wrote!!

Here's how you get the PE Announce car to operate in CAB-1, TMCC:

To operate the Polar Express “announce car” using the hand-held CAB-1 controller, you do NOT need to buy and install special electronic circuit boards from “Electric Trains” as has been suggested. This method will also operate any other traditional “action car” which is normally activated by pressing the “BELL” on the transformer. If the car is on the track block with a traditional (transformer controlled) engine (see also #3 below), then you only need to press the “BELL” button on the hand-held. If the action car is on a TMCC track block running a TMCC engine, to operate the action car you must first turn CAB-1 back to “traditional mode” by addressing the track block: “TR” “1”; “TR” “2”, etc., once you’ve done that, you can activate the announce car or other action car by pressing the "bell" button. The engine bell will also ring if it's in "traditional" mode, or NOT ring if it's in TMCC mode.

to go back to operating the loco in TMCC, which will continue to operate as you left it while you switched the track block to traditional mode, simple re-address the loco with it’s ID#, i.e. “ENG” “4”; “ENG” ”7”, etc. If your Polar Express is totally traditional (i.e., transformer operated), then it will operate as such using the CAB-1 if you wish--see #3 below. However, it must be on a separate block of track than the TMCC engines/trains.

Here's the full story on the ZW:

http://forum.ogauge.org/showthread.php?t=85

Rich

[tbrook]

Rick,

Thanks for the info. I will try it out it the near future.

Thanks:)