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Offline Joseph Meiring  
#1 Posted : 27 March 2015 18:30:48(UTC)
Joseph Meiring

South Africa   
Joined: 27/12/2009(UTC)
Posts: 1,157
Location: Western Cape Cape Town
Dear Forum members
I am in a position to upgrade my digital layout from MS2 to CS/ECos2....
Which is the "better" buy? Confused
This has no doubt been discussed many times before, but I am concerned at the number of posts that have occurred listing faults/problems with the M Central Station on the forum; as this is not am ESU forum I suppose I can't really compare as I don;t now how many ESU owners also have problems?!.....Unsure
If i should get the ECoS2, is the mfx+ compatible...and would those notorious M turnout switches work with the ESU system? (Altho I am busy replacing my M turnout motors with Viessmann....) ... and would my MS2's be able to plug into the ECos2?
I know these are rather basic questions, but I would like some expert forum advice before parting with some hard earned "Dollars"!!.....Scared
many thanks, Joe
Offline Modelleisenbahnfan  
#2 Posted : 27 March 2015 18:52:45(UTC)
Modelleisenbahnfan

Germany   
Joined: 06/03/2015(UTC)
Posts: 52
Hi Joe,

I've got the Central Station 2 and I'm very happy with it. --> You can't do anything wrong when you take the CS2.ThumpUp

The EcoS2 is surely good too, but it hasn't mfx+. When you like to have mfx+, you should take the CS2.
The CS2 hasn't RailCom. If you wan't to have RailCom, you should take the EcoS2. But normally, you won't need it when you are Märklinist.

If the MS2 is able to plug into the EcoS2, I don't know.

I think, the two (CS2 and EcoS2) are both very good. What the "better buy" could be, must decide everyone for himself.

kind regards

Robert

P.S.: For more details, you could watch also the manuals of the CS2 and the EcoS2. They exists in English, too.
Märklin, what else?
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Offline Joseph Meiring  
#3 Posted : 27 March 2015 21:32:18(UTC)
Joseph Meiring

South Africa   
Joined: 27/12/2009(UTC)
Posts: 1,157
Location: Western Cape Cape Town
Thanx Robert - I found some threads from 16 March on this topic - will look these up.....seems ECoS2 can't do mfx+ ....
Joe
Offline NZMarklinist  
#4 Posted : 28 March 2015 03:29:28(UTC)
NZMarklinist

New Zealand   
Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,757
Location: Auckland NZ
Hello Joe,

I think your question has already been quite well answered, so just my opinion RollEyes

If you have some older Loks you wish to upgrade with new decoders, ESU is the way to go for ease of programming etc but you should also have an ESU Lok programmer ! That said, the Marklin decoders are cheaper and there is the decoder tool available but they can also be programmed with the CS2, albeit rather labourously compared to the ESU Lok programmer. ThumbDown
I am lucky in that I have good friend Dennis the "Train Doctor" to do all that for me !The Ecos makes fine tuning them a breeze, no worrying about CV numbers etc I have a CS1-R, an Ecos in a Marklin Case, as they were made by ESU but delivered to Marklin, and us poor suckers, the Marklin consumer, in a somewhat handicapped state, that is until the "Reload" was made available by ESU.

Hence Marklin's brave, but logical, move at the hand of the investment Bankers, to commission the CS2

Like Tom (HO) I enjoy using my CS1-R and I am very comfortable using it, but as yet am only "playing" as my layout isn't built yet and if it weren't for MFX+ ( a very cunning idea by M) I would not consider the CS2 because of it's sensitivities, not to mention higher cost.
I have a number of Loks with MFX+ and as my layout is not going to be large, except for the BTW which will dominate the front of it Cool I considered MFX+ something to add a bit of operational interest (read play value Blushing ) to my layout and it will be built and wired accordingly Scared

One thing if you decide for the CS2, do not under any circumstances connect it directly to the tracks of your layout ! Scared Always run track power thru a Booster, and for MFX's sake a Marklin 60174 booster ThumpUp I believe this is absolutely critical if you have any M track on your layout Scared
Reason; if you get a short circuit on the layout tracks, it will cut out at the Booster, and not fry the Software in your CS2 ThumbDown
This Booster scenario, is however, also recommended for the Ecos as well, by those that know ThumpUp

I will have three Boosters for my 2.7 x 2m "L" shaped K Track layout. One for the main part, one for the BTW, (turntable has 16 spoke tracks and a 12 Bay M72883 Ringlok Shed, as well as the Marklin Digital Coaling Station. The third booster will power the "Schatten Bahnhoff" OhMyGod

All that said, your digital decoders for Signals and points etc are ok to be connected directly to the CS2/Ecos using it's built in booster, so everything is on a separate circuit and if a short occurs on the layout you can still operate points and signals, and the trains on other boosted circuits ! ThumpUp

So that is my $NZ2.00 worth (approx. $US1.50, Euro 1.37 or GBP 1.01) Wink Smile
Glen
Auckland NZ

" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !

CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider
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Offline H0  
#5 Posted : 28 March 2015 08:06:03(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Hi!
Originally Posted by: Joe Meiring Go to Quoted Post
seems ECoS2 can't do mfx+ ....
Yes, it can't.

You can download the CS2 software to your PC and use it in demo mode and try mfx+ without a loco. Realism is a 0 on a scale of 10.
Microsoft Train Simulator or the freeware LokSim are much more realistic.

The steps needed to get a steam loco run fast with mfx+ would make it run slow in real life.ThumbDown
Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline Modelleisenbahnfan  
#6 Posted : 28 March 2015 11:09:01(UTC)
Modelleisenbahnfan

Germany   
Joined: 06/03/2015(UTC)
Posts: 52
Hi Tom,

perhaps Märklin will improve mfx+ in the near future...

kind regards

Robert
Märklin, what else?
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Offline foumaro  
#7 Posted : 28 March 2015 19:30:11(UTC)
foumaro

Greece   
Joined: 08/12/2004(UTC)
Posts: 4,420
Location: Attiki Athens Greece
I am using the CS2 with K83 decoders,72441 braking delay decoders,16 turnouts,8 old marklin semaphore signals for about six mounths without any problem at all.I am running about 40 digital,fx,mfx locos without any problem.
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Offline Joseph Meiring  
#8 Posted : 28 March 2015 20:49:26(UTC)
Joseph Meiring

South Africa   
Joined: 27/12/2009(UTC)
Posts: 1,157
Location: Western Cape Cape Town
Thanx Gents for all the replies thus far - I do feel that the CS will probably fulfill my needs. As mfx+ develops, and who knows what else Robert!! it would make sense to stick to M .... there was just this niggling in the grey matter about the problems some folk have had with their CS's.
And thanx for those tips Glen....more than just a "penny" worth!! ThumpUp
In South Africa our currency was Pound Sterling till the sixties, and whilst telling the grandkids how I could buy 4 toffees for a penny when I was their age, there was this long silence till the youngest whispered to his brother: "what's a penny!!"....Unsure
Joe
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Offline julien630  
#9 Posted : 28 March 2015 21:01:36(UTC)
julien630

United Kingdom   
Joined: 28/03/2015(UTC)
Posts: 2
Location: England, Derbyshire
I have an ecos which I use for Dcc Trix on outer loops and Motorola Marklin on inner loops at same time !! All works well and my Ecos does have rail com and MFX built in and works fine except for 2 Marklin MFX steam locos . One is a 2005 insider Br 01 with sine motor which runs slow despite the sound running at normal speed and the other is a Br 39 insider 2009 which runs very jerky .If I run them with a Marklin CS2 they run perfectly but as this an early one it doesn't have Dcc . All my other locos run fine with the ecos so I will let you all judge which is best .
Offline H0  
#10 Posted : 28 March 2015 21:12:02(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Hi!
Originally Posted by: julien630 Go to Quoted Post
the other is a Br 39 insider 2009 which runs very jerky
Which track voltage have you set on your ECoS? With ECoS, the track voltage is adjustable in the range 14 through 20 volts with a factory default of 14 volts (to be on the safe side for small gauges).
That BR 39 came without powerpack capacitor and is known to make problems with track voltages below 19 volts.

Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#11 Posted : 28 March 2015 22:22:19(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Joe Meiring Go to Quoted Post

In South Africa our currency was Pound Sterling till the sixties, and whilst telling the grandkids how I could buy 4 toffees for a penny when I was their age, there was this long silence till the youngest whispered to his brother: "what's a penny!!"....Unsure
Joe


In NZ it was also the pound, originally pound sterling, but separated from sterling, and then later in 1967 (IIRC) it changed to the NZ$. Some 20+ years later my wife worked in a bank, and one day said 'she was going to spend a penny'. After a moment or two one of the youngsters around the office says 'what do you mean spend a penny, what is a penny?'

Late last year we went to Australia to my nieces wedding. One of the brides friends and I were tying some ribbons on the door handles of the bridal car. She asked how long I thought the pieces of ribbon should be and I said about 18 inches, and I got the reply that she didn't know what inches are. At least metrification seems to have worked 'down home'.
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Offline NZMarklinist  
#12 Posted : 05 April 2015 01:18:44(UTC)
NZMarklinist

New Zealand   
Joined: 15/03/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,757
Location: Auckland NZ
Originally Posted by: foumaro Go to Quoted Post
I am using the CS2 with K83 decoders,72441 braking delay decoders,16 turnouts,8 old marklin semaphore signals for about six mounths without any problem at all.I am running about 40 digital,fx,mfx locos without any problem.


Hi Payonotis,

Are any of your loks MFX+ ? and if so do you bother to use MWOO (Markin World of Operation) or "Cab Control" it very much ?
Glen
Auckland NZ

" Every Marklin layout needs a V200, a Railbus and a Banana car", not to mention a few Black and red Steamers, oh and the odd Elok !

CS1 Reloaded, Touch Cab, C Track Modules, K track layout all under construction. Currently Insider
Offline julien630  
#13 Posted : 16 April 2015 21:19:31(UTC)
julien630

United Kingdom   
Joined: 28/03/2015(UTC)
Posts: 2
Location: England, Derbyshire
Many thanks regarding the Br39.To be honest I didn't realise the Ecos output was adjustable so I will now have a play with a higher voltage .
Offline gwolski  
#14 Posted : 03 May 2015 23:06:36(UTC)
gwolski

United States   
Joined: 17/12/2001(UTC)
Posts: 171
Location: Central Virginia
Originally Posted by: julien630 Go to Quoted Post
Many thanks regarding the Br39.To be honest I didn't realise the Ecos output was adjustable so I will now have a play with a higher voltage .


I had trouble with my Ecos not switching my C track switches properly until I realized I needed to turn the output up. For my Z scale trains, I was turning the output down to 14v until I bought the UP6Z from Digitrax. It reduces the output voltage by 4V or 6V so I can hook up to either/both my Z track and my HO track without having to fiddle with the power output.

Thumbs up for the Ecos - very happy with it so far.

Cheers!

Gene
Gene Wolski
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