What start set did you get? I don't recognise that 66955 command station, and cannot see it on the page you linked.

This is the set I got: Märklin 29000 (HO) Digital Starter Pack and Märklin 24902 (HO) C Track C2 Extension Set. May be I got the wrong number for the command station, I did not get it yet. The page I linked has a picture of it on the right hand side.

I am going to go the K-Track way, I have plenty of them but this will be my >experimental layout<

Absolutely agreed, if you are going for PC control you dont need a fully functional command station, just the interface. On the other hand i think thst the digikeijs system is still very far away from maturity, as for i was told by several people who bought the station. I bought myself some other components and sadly i must ssy that they are happily lying in their boxes now.
Regards

Your point ( 1) is also important to me. So am I to understand that if I don’t have a Marklin CS (CS2 or CS3) I will not have access to the mfx protocol.

Sorry for the newbie questions guys but although I have plenty of k-tracks and very old Markilin locos all analog, I am for now starting from zero going all digital. And will only use the latest product that is available. I will retrofit if possible later.

Hello,

Just to clarify one point -- You are not forced to use the Marklin CS family of controllers. For example, the ESU ECoS does recognize multi-protocol decoders. I personally use the ECoS and run Marklin MM, mfx, mfx+, ESU Lokpilots and Loksound decoders. The ECoS can handle all of them at the same time. Some of my locos run under DCC, others under Marklin, some use 14 steps (the old 6090 digital decoders), some use 28 steps. As far as I know, the ECoS can't take advantage of the extra capabilities of the mfx+, i.e., the Word of Operations features. However, the mfx and mfx+ only differ in that respect. If World of Operations is an important play factor for you, then you will have no choice but to use a Marklin controller.

I hope this adds some value and does not muddy the waters even further.

Cheers,
Andry

As kiwiAlan said, the track box handles the Mfx protocol matters. Rocrail can handle Mfx registration.

I use two Märklin 6604 Delta Controls with 6647 transformers as boosters, and I don't get sparks either. Of course, they are not visible to Rocrail's booster management functions. CAN Digital offers a more advanced booster unit, but I preferred the low-fi approach (I had one 6604 handy, and bought the second for a pittance).

So a command station is not absolutely necessary for these two points, although of course it can simplify the management of the setup.

As I stated previously, unfortunately, the Marklin proprietary WoO protocol can't be accessed by other controllers. However, all other mfx features are supported by ECoS. As far as I understand, the "+" only means that the protocol supports WoO -- all other features are exactly the same as in a regular mfx decoder. Hence, if WoO is important to you, then your only choice is to go with a Marklin controller.

Another note regarding Railcom -- the ECoS supports Railcom as well as Railcom Plus. This is basically a capability for locomotives running under DCC to "self-register" -- similar to mfx.