Hi Søren

I fully understand your objective and the desire to have an easily isolate-able piece of track on which to configure a single decoder without influencing others

However, if I may point out that in the wider, model railway standards, context of decoder programming (not configuration) the term programming track refers to, not just an isolated section of track but also, a section that has reduced current capabilities.

The purpose of the standard is (was) to address the "real" programming of motor characteristics and the possibility of burning out a decoder at installation time if those characteristics were not appropriate. At "new decoder install time" it also protected the controller in the event of shorts due to errors in wiring.

The Marklin world has been pretty much insulated from this issue because of the nice matching of its decoders to its motors/gearing. But with the opening up of a controller to the DCC (rest of the world) and people wanting to experiment with OEM decoders this issue emerges as something to be concerned about. Even if you are installing a Marklin decoder kit (mFX or otherwise) , it should be first tested on a "reduced current" programming track.

I can't put my finger on the actual max current specified for a programming track but believe it to be <1 Amp, whereas the MS2 can deliver 2 Amps.
(I do know there was a debate a while back about raising this limit when sound chips - even at idle would cause a cutout)

In summary, what you have provided is ideal for "re-configuring" the operation features like Address, Acc, Dec, Fx icons of non mFX or PoM decoders . What I am attempting to distinguish is the underlying programming (and the use of the term Programming track) relating to motor characteristics (usually a one off at installation time) which should be treated with a bit more respect.

I didn't find an NMRA definition of "programming track".

They define a Service Mode Environment:
http://www.nmra.org/stan...standards_rps/rp923.html

While both the MS2 and CS2 can program DCC decoders in service mode, neither of them conforms to the Service Mode Environment Recommended Practices (power output is 1.9 A with MS2 and 1.0 A with CS2).
I don't know if the programming tracks of my IB or CS1 conform the the NMRA RP.

IMHO there are many different definitions of "programming track" - and I think Søren may use this term for his solution.

You need double isolation between main track and programming track, but there is no need to unplug anything.
If the programming track is connected to the layout, isolate centre rail and outer rails. Make sure no car/loco bridges main track and programming track when you do any programming of DCC or MM locos.

mfx is not MM. You don't need the programming track to alter settings of mfx decoders (but AFAIK you need the programming track to upload new firmware or new sound projects).

Hi guys

Thanks for all your replies.


If I could choose, I would have a separate programming track, supported by the control system. That way I am sure that, when in programming mode, I will only program the locomotive on the programming track. I do not think there is a reason not to set it up, when the control system supports it. I would probably not include the programming track in my layout. I did this in the example, because I found it the easiest way for the current solution.

That of course could be a problem. I do not have any of those, so I did not take that into consideration.

Why does the programming track on the CS2 need to be part of the layout? There are separate plugs on the CS2 for main and programming track? I assumed it was the same as my Lenz, because they receive separate signals.