Hi Makis,
Welcome to the forum. You might also considered using C track. It works very well in digital operation. It also is close in profile to M track so you could use both and keep your favorite crossings in operation. There is a C track to M track transition piece, part number 24951.

Regards,
Roger

Hi Makis,

If you laydown your M-tracks carefully and have a good maintenance, in my humble opinion you can continue using them.
They are more robust than K- and C- tracks and if bent you can easily correct the imperfections (the same is difficult or even impossible with the other two types of tracks).

About the digital controller: the MS2 is a good choice suitable for controlling locomotives and in addition, if in the future you want to switch digitally also the turnouts, it can do this.

And as per Roger suggestion:

"There is a C track to M track transition piece, part number 24951."

you can always expand your layout with the newer track types.

Last but not least: use the old blue transformers for analog switch of turnouts and lights.

Hope this could help in your decisions.

Cheers

Renato

Hi Makis,all,
Welcome to the forum!

>that perhaps K-track offers superior performance for digital operation.<

Not necessarily.A lot of factors involved.

> I would remain analog with turnouts, signals and uncoupler tracks,
but would want to control locomotives ... acceleration, deceleration, lights, sound etc. digitally.
At least that's what I'm thinking at the moment.)<

Not an issue.

>When I last enjoyed my marklin stuff, I had lots of operating problems due to a lack of attention to
track laying detail (and cleaning) resulting in a bunch of derailments, pick-up shoe glitches and rough and unreliable operations. <


I will say again,that,how,condition(s),how you lay even M-track and the condition of loks and rolling stock will effect performance.

>I guess what I am saying is this time around I want to be sure to build a solid reliable base and am wondering
if abandoning M for K is worth it. (An unspoken factor is the emotional attachment I have to M-track crossings etc., that I started purhasing in Hamburg about 50 years ago. Anyway...)<

Search the site great info from the maniacs,er, enthusiasts.

Dirt.

Who what?

There is also a K-M track transition piece if you have your heart set on K track which has a great benefit of having flex track availability. However, if you want speed in setting up a layout, you can't beat C track as long as you get track manufactured after the early 2000s.

Due to different track geometries between M, K and C, you might want to download the free layout planning software SCARM since it handles all three track types with a very good database for all three. I quickly learned how to use the software and was able to generate a layout incorporating all 3 track types.

Since then, due to appearance I made the hard decision to get rid of all my old M track and have switched to a combination of K and C for digital operation with old style catenary fed from another transformer for analog overhead operation.

Peter

You know, that's what Nadine says about me too

Hi Makis, and welcome to this forum !

See here concerning analog to digital power set up: https://www.marklin-user...l-system.aspx#post378240

Hope it helps,

Y

Edited by user 18 January 2014 07:39:41(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

And............careful with your blue transformers, i has been said before, check for the condition of the insulation at the power cord, and never, ever use them to run locos with a digital decoder
regards

I have been operating digital on M track for over 25 years. While the digital part has been upgraded , the track remains the same. My only recomendation is to operate M track turnouts ( switches) antilog as the decoders do not provide enough of a kick for dependable operation, especially for double slip switches.

I have had both M track and C track. My experience is that C-Track gives a lot less "dead" sections on turnouts than M tracks at the slow running speeds more common in digital operation.

Makistrain,

I too have a mix of "M", "C", and "K" track on my layout. I use my old "M" track as a cost saving as I already possess it, the "C" track to compliment the "M" track sections of layout where my "m" track inventory is lacking and all of the new layout sections are in "K" track due to the superior cosmetic appearance (flex track for sweeping curves etc.).

My only difficulty with the "M" track has been the switches and signals take a large amount of power. This was not a problem in the "old" days with the blue analog tranformers but the digital systems (new and old) simply are not able to generate the horespower to "kick" over some of my track switches and signals.

As a solution to this problem, I have moved beyond Marklin and are using the following components from Viessmann: 5215 Powermodul and 5211 K83 modul. The 5215 Powermodul is very effective with the old blue transformers to power the switches/ signals. They do provide the necessary "kick" via an analog "DC" signal. The 5211 K83 unit allows for both a DC analog signal to power the switch drives and the digital signal to provide the control instructions. This is very nice as you can leverage your old blue tranformers for their wattage and efficiently use the DC digital power for its control elements (locomotive control and switch and signal control impluses). I have also use the Switch Pilot from ESU instead of the 5211 as it offers the flexibity to be used as either a K83 or a K84 unit and is slightly less costly; at least it is at my local dealer.

I do recommend purchasing an up to date digital controller (CS2 generation) to capture all the "bells and whistles" available while using your old blue transformers to provide the raw horsepower to drive the old school "M" track switches and signals. This will require you to pull two sets of power leads (DC digital and DC analog) thought the layout which is slightly more complicated but well worth the cost savings. The ground wire can be the same for DC digital and CD analog which means 3 wires are pulled through the layout. This is how my layout is wired.

Greetings,
fkowal