Originally Posted by: Ross 
Hi John,
It seems you have a good understanding of consists.
I wrote an article which may help others.
Manual consists with the ECoSFor the consist section start on page 8.
This method is for DCC control using locomotive secondary address for ease of detaching/attaching locos to the consist. Functions can be defined for the secondary address for better control.
I hope you all find it interesting.
I also do consists with driver cab car, whereas a lokpilot is fitted into this car, I have several of them: SBB ICN 500, ÖBB Railjet, DB ICE 2, push and pull DB IC,
As shown in my video to add locos to an already existing consist, one has to separate the 2 locos from the existing 5 locos to be able to run them separately, in its initial mode you have 2 consists: 1 with 2 and the other with 3 locos, and running them as 1 consist you than have to combine the other 2 locos to the 3 loco consist.
To identify consist on your ECoS screen is to download pictures of these locos or at least 2 or 3 of them plus you can name them as a 5 BLS consist.
the other tricky part is as, you've mentioned with function outlets to make sure your locos in principle are all programmed with the same functionality. and the same goes for the light functions but this depends on the loco how many different light functions you've installed., with a consist of 5 locos you only should have the first and last locos light on (headlights + Marker lights), My Märklin BLS Re 465 has a 3 + 1 light set up which can't be altered.
It may look easy having 5 locos traveling together but the setup depends on how you've fitted all your light functions in the first place., these days decoders have the ability to add 8 Aux functions + 2 light functions and this enables you to do most variations, again the way I set it all up is a very comprehensive and complex.
for instance light arrangements for Swiss locos with an ESU sound decoder, either 21 or Plux22 :
F0 = 2 head lights front combined with Aux6 = 1 marker light white right rear
F0 = 2 head lights rear combined with Aux5 = 1 marker light white left front
this arrangement enables you to turn off the headlights and the white marker light
Aux1 = interior lights for carriages via 4 pin electrical couplings
Aux2 = interior lights for carriages via 4 Pin electrical couplings
Aux3 = interior cab light front
Aux4 = interior cab light rear
Aux5 = 1 marker light white left front
Aux6 = 1 marker light white right rear
Aux7 = 1 marker light red left front
Aux8 = 1 marker light red right front
this mode of function can also be combined whereas Aux7 and Aux8 is programmed under 1 function outlet, with the latest ESU V 5.0 sound decoders you have 30 Function outlets.
This is the standard method I use when I convert locos and than comes the task to program the decoder's other functionalities such as CV's: constant braking distances, acceleration and braking mode, motor settings, decoder address, sound file functions (sometimes I add extra sound files),
John