I have searched the forum for this answer with negetive results. Sorry if this has been answered before. How do I wire a separate trafo to my digitally controlled switches? I will be using a CS. I will also be powering the 76xxx signals with this same trafo unless advised not to. Thanks for your help

You need a booster to feed the 76xxx from a seperate transformer... Likewise the decoder for the switches must be fed by a booster (6017 or whatever is used by the CS), but it does depend on the decoder that you are using - the under track ones should be on the same boosted circuit as the track itself, but the external decoders (eg Viessmann 5211s) do not..

I am no expert but if you use under c track decoders they plug right into the track. I hooked up a CS about a month or so ago and i have around 30 switches, i have no problem with them at all with 5 locs going with sound lights and so on. I dont see anywhere in the instructions telling you to use a seperate power supply. The only thing i have done is run a couple of feeds to the track at 3 different points. I even use 2 decoders at a time with cross overs which i do beleive they tell you not to do. I dont know for the K-83 but i beleive its the same. I dont even think the booster for CS is even avaliable yet. C track and K track do have a little different requirements the C track has much less loss threw the track. When i asked my dealer about a booster he told me dont beleive everything you read, with C track you wont need one anytime soon when you see a problem then ask me again. He was right and honest. My advice follow the instructions and just try it before you buy anything.

Thanks for that info. I will procede with the CS. What size trafo are you using?

Your welcome for now i have the 42va from the starter set which will be upgraded. By the way i also have a mobile station hooked to this. In the beginning i thought for decoders i would need a booster right away thats how i got to a cs because you cant put a booster on ms. Its a little confusing at first so i took the advice of my dealer dont buy try, when you start having problems then we will talk about what you need.This was good advice so i thought id pass it on.I am possitive that at sometime i will need a booster but for now everything works fine and i saved some money for other things. The lanterns are seperate power supply just as all other lights,i dont know why that came up, and yes you can go with other decoders (viessman)i havent tried so dont know thats why i only mentioned the under track decoder. If you stick with marklin you may want to look into the k83 i think it is cheaper in the long run and if it fails you dont have to rip the track up, i didn't know about the k83 when i first started purchasing decoders. Don't do what i did and beat your head against the wall worrying about what you need,proceed slow and have fun.

All well and good, Alfred, but if you are doing a permanent layout like mine, if you find out that you need to segment it and install boosters after it is done it is too late and you have major work ahead of you. I opted to overkill and avoid any possible problems. I currently am running six separate booster zones on my layout (one solely for switches and signals) and will be adding another with my expansion. It's entirely up to you, but I'd rather design than react. For example, I have one booster zone for my station alone which could have five loks in it, the absolute maximum I consider safe.

The best thing is to plan for the worst at the start. Break your track power into as many blocks as you feel comfortable doing, but as many as possible. Connect all to the same main feeder. Then, if you need boosters later, you can switch some blocks to one or more boosters without taking everything apart.

I have about 21 blocks on my layout right now. All are connected to the same red wire (from my IB). As I install signals, power use dectors, and catenary on a booster, I can just move a wire from here to there and done!

Note: Marklin sells spade connectors #74995. Very easy to make your own connector wires with a pair of pliers or a soldering iron. 0.18$ vs 1.80$.

Good advice, McLae. That is what I have done on my era III layout. It serves two purposes...providing multiple connections while using one zone, and makes splitting them easy.