Hi Peter,

For feedback I use mainly contact tracks (detection on one of the outer rails) connected up to S88 detection modules from Viessmann.

I also use the Traincontroller software, but for feedback coms with PC I use LDT-HSI 88. Beware that some users have faced issues if you using the CS2 for feedback with Traincontroller and at some stage it was only supported partly by Railroad & Co. See more on website:

https://secure.freiwald....Marklin+feedback#p152483

I never had any problems with my setup or disruption in performance due to using one rail for feedback detection.

Another advantage with occupancy detection is that the block will show occupied as long as there is rolling stock within. With centre rail or momentarily detections you will not have this added advantages.

And C track is dead easy to make the contact tracks yourself in any length you would like.

Brgds Lasse

Viessmann 5233 track occupancy modules are quite reliable.

Hi Peter,

Yes, a few years ago the CS2 was not working well with feedback (if you upgraded to CS2 to higher than 2.7). There was also issues with delays in how the CS2 was polling feedback.

For this reason I decided to skip it. The LDT methods is probably one of the fastest solution you would get.

However with recent Marklin updates I believe some of the feedback polling issues have been resolved, but issue remains that Marklin is not very open about their software, for this reason Railrod and Co cannot guarantee all functionalities (still some small bugs when Traincontroller has to read the locomotive database from CS2).

In one of the latest digital newsletter from the marklin digital club there is a good explanation with photos on how to make contact tracks. I'm presently travelling do don't have access to my train files, but maybe some other member can sent the PDFs file to you.

But if you look carefully underneath a C track you will notice you need to make to small cuts on the steel wire tape (one in each end). Then you need to also isolate the rail end with marklin isolator 74030. See link:

http://www.andresaris-hobby.nl/electronics.html#!prettyPhoto/-1/

So you can take any C track (from the smallest 64 mm straight to 24530 curve tracks and make into a contact track).

Note that if you have a long block (e.g. 2 meter) you do not need to isolate the whole section physically. Normally you would have 3 seperate contact tracks (one for entry, one in the middle and one for exit). In Traincontroller you can then setup up e.g. Shifted braking and stopping markers. Also a good idea to have a time delay on each contact sensors (to avoid the sensor flickering due to dirty wheels).

As said before with current consumption detectors you would ideally then need a pickup shoe on the last wagon in your consist to physically detect when the block is actually clear.

If you are planning on using c track and PC software - contact track is a no-brainer IMHO!

On these pages I have uploaded my track plans including schematic from Traincontroller, so you can see how I have divided my layout in blocks:

https://www.marklin-user...ted-July-2015#post493787

Brgds Lasse

I have a transfer table and around it are M-tracks. That is where I use the LDT RM-GB-8-N. They will only be occupied by engines anyway, no cars. The rest of the layout has C-track and some K-track with feedback thru s88 and LDT HSI-88 to TC – not the CS2. All tracks have separated rails except the turnouts. I have set the delay in TC to 1 sec on ON.

Pefu: I sent you a PM (in Swedish) yesterday in case you haven’t noticed.

Blid