The 6021 is very capable of controlling locomotives with the newer decoders.
It does use only the MM (Marklin Motorola) format , however all decoders from Marklin use MM as a minimum.

You reference "one function", this is a limitation of the 6090 decoder not the 6021, which can access 5 functions (Main Auxillary function - called F0 - and 4 extended functions F1-F4) per address. For your 6021 to provide this capability, the DIP switch #2 at the back of the unit needs to be set on.

6090x decoders through to the current 6094x/6096x decoders have progressed to 16 functions, and the 6097x/6098x decoders announced this year have 32 functions BUT even the CS2 can not currently use them directly (Update due by the end of the year ?!).

Above, I made the comment about 5 functions PER ADDRESS. This needs to be dwelt upon as Marklins marketing for even the latest locomotives continues to insist on showing that a 6021 can only control up to 5 functions. Personally I consider this as deliberately misleading.

With any current decoders, it is possible to allocate a different address for F5-8, F9-12, F13-F15. and therefore for use with a 6021
You may enable 1, 2 or 3 extensions and they may be set to "consecutive" (Base address +1, +2, +3) or specifically defined.

These 2nd,3rd,4th addresses have no control over speed HOWEVER the 6021 has a neat capability with the "L" and "F" buttons, to allow the throttle to maintain control of the base address, while using the F to select the alternate addresses

Because the 6021 only has an address range of 1-80, it may be prudent that only 2 of the 4 extra addresses be enabled so as to allow for more than 20 locomotives.
If your locomotive has more than 8 functions it is possible to move the "common" ones that you wish to use into that range.

Note: some of the setup and adjustment of functions may need to be done by your Dealer, Friend or Club , but once set up the 6021 is quite capable of using them.

And just in case you are trying to work out why F15 and not F16 , it is because the main function on the first address is called F0
.......................Decoder Translation
6021 Button. 1st_Addr 2nd_Addr 3rd_Addr 4th_Addr
Aux Function ...F0
F1 .............F1.......F5.......F9.......F13
F2 .............F2.......F6.......F10......F14
F3 .............F3.......F7.......F11......F15 (Theoretical but no-go)
F4 .............F4.......F8.......F12

Edited by user 20 December 2015 10:20:51(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I have experimented with activating the Motorola Second Address feature on a couple of models, which gives you access to F5 through F8. I have not been able to access additional sounds beyond F8 and on one of my Roco trains with a Zimo decoder, the activation of the Second Address feature seems to have affected how the train reacts to commands issued by the MS2 which accesses it via DCC.

Do Maerklin loks (current OEM decoders) have the second address feature? For example the 37792 TGV Lyria or the 37462 Re 460?

Regards

Mike C

OEM is normally used to mean 'Original Equipment Manufacturer'. I have never seen it used to mean 'Other ...'

Thanks Peter for your helpful reply. The thing that I find confusing is when I see a loco on a site and they tell you what digital equipment that you need to access the functions, yet you are saying that with the 6021 I can get almost all of them. This is a link to the loco I am referring to:

https://translate.google...D1002579&prev=search

You will notice at the end of the listing it indicates what Marklin digital equipment is required to activate the different features. It indicates that you can access 5 functions with the 6021, 10 functions with the MS and all 11 functions with the CS. Is this correct?

Thanks again for all your help and patience.

Chuck

P.S. I used to ask my local Marlin Dealer these type of questions but they closed up shop (retired) several years ago and there are no other dealers close to me.

Better check with the Märklin product database:
http://www.maerklin.de/e...pdb_pi1%5Bsearchres%5D=1

Mobile Station is limited to 9 functions (there must be an error with this loco). Central Station and Mobile Station 2 give you access to up to 16 functions.

Peter already wrote that Märklin normally do not mention that the 6021 can control 9 or 14 functions with mfx decoders.

The 37991 is one of the few locos where they mention this in the manual:
http://www.maerklin.de/e...pdb_pi1%5Bsearchres%5D=1

And when you look at the description of the mfx symbol then you may notice that his information wasn't updated for years: "Digital decoder with up to 9 digitally controlled functions, which can be operated with the 60652 or 60651 Mobile Station. Up to 5 functions, which can be operated with the 6021 Control Unit. Equipped for up to 16 functions with future controllers. The functions present depend on how the locomotive is equipped."
They consequently ignore e-mails that inform them about errors in the product database.

If you are not familiar with using the 6021 for programing a decoder, refer ...
http://www.maerklin.de/f...ogrammieren_mit_6021.pdf

Set register (CV) 49 to a value = 1 should do the trick

Comment:
1) Recommend ensuring the locomotive lights are switched on before you start so you can see the various flashings

2) As usual Marklins instructions are a bit glib so read with a does of salt.
- Step 2, for example, indicates to hold the 2 buttons down until the 99 appears.
In actual practice you do not see the 99 until you have held the 2 buttons down together AND THEN RELEASED THEM
- The 99 only appears for a second.
- Between step 5 and 6 , you can release the control knob.

Don't feel bad Steve, I'm learning right along with you.

Chuck

Ray, so if I'm understanding this correctly, when you have the 6021 set to address 16, you have the first 4 functions controlled by the F1 thru F4 buttons. Then, to activate the next four functions you switch the address to 17 and then the F1 thru F4 buttons are actually controlling functions 5 thru 8 on the same locomotive?

I guess that that would mean that you can't be using another loco that has an address one up from the loco you're controlling in use on the same circuit, in this case address 17. Is this correct?

Chuck

ok this is good and I am going to try it over holiday weekend.
But unfortunately I still don't understand how to set
"CV-49" to "1"?
Guess if I knew what a CV-49 is, that would help :)

Thanks again for your help and patience.
Steve

The buttons are "L" and "F".
See also:
http://blog.mailez.de/eb...unctions-with-mfx-locos/

Look at the instructions for programming the loco.
You can change the address with register 1 (or CV 1). You set acceleration delay with CV 3, braking delay with CV 4. With register 75 (or CV 75) you set the second address.
There are some undocumented CVs, including CV 49 which specifies how many addresses the loco has and how they are determined.

When the F light is on, you see/set the address for F1 through F4. When the L light is on, you see/set the address for throttle and function/off.

So assuming a loco with addresses 16 and 17, you would leave L at 16 all the time while F will either be 16 or 17, depending what you want to trigger.
With address 17, F1 through F4 will activate F5 through F8.
For locos with more than 2 addresses, these can be F9 through F12 or F13 through F14/F15/F16.

You can use addresses from different locos. You can drive a "silent" loco and blow the horn of a sound loco at the same time.

Hi all,

It might be a slightly separate topic but somewhat related. Is there a way of achieving the control of functions f1-f4 when sending commands via a 6020 control unit connected to a PC via the interface? I am looking to test limitations of the the Motorola I protocol and I am aware that the control 80 unit did not have buttons for the additional functions, which the 6021 did have.

My test would be the ability to control f1-f2 of a locomotive fitted with a fx decoder via the computer-operated setup above (6020 central station). I have seen documentation that seems to indicate that the protocol did make provisions for additional functions, albeit sent in a different format to the one the 6021 unit uses.

Thanks for any help/pointers!