 Joined: 20/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 3 Location: California, Fairfield
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So I have played with Marklin trains since I was a small kid when my Grandfather introduced me to them. I have added to his collection over the years. I have retired from the Army and I think I am in my forever home. I have decided to do a wall train that goes all the way around our home theatre/music room. All my train stuff is analog. I recently bought a Harry Potter 29552 marklin starter set. It has c track and a mobile station 60652. I got this because I was curious about digital and thought it would be cool to have it going around in the movie room. I am familiar with analog blocking for multiple trains on a single track but im not sure all that I would need to do it on c track. I am considering combining the two because I have so much m track. The room is about 25 x 25 and I only intend to run a single track. I would like to run two trains on it. My dilemma is I like being able to blow the horn and turn lights on independent of running, but I have 7 analog engines and only two digital. The Harry Potter one is not Marklins best work in my opinion. I have all the signals and contact track for analog block system. My questions are is this simple setup worth going digital? If so what do I need to buy to run two trains without collision automatically? I know I can run the digital on the analog as long as I don’t reverse which I don’t plan on. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Paul
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 Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,555 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Paul A warm welcome to this great forum Stop section in Digital on C TrackInsulating a zone of rails to stop on C Track is made using the 74030 insulation socks to be installed on both the central contacts on both extremities of the stop section So you need four socks for each stop section. The principle is the same whether you are in digital or analog. NOTE: of course you know that mixing analog and digital powers is forbidden because chances are it will destroy your digital power system (60116 or equivalent) CombiningCombining M track with C track poses no problem Combining analog and digital locos means all are using analogue source Attention Only white platic case transformers are allowed to avoid destroying the digital decoder on locos (No more than 24 VAC during direction change) AutomationStandard automation are possible using contact track that command signals, etc Cheers Jean Edited by user 29 December 2024 14:33:37(UTC)
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 1 user liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 20/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 3 Location: California, Fairfield
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John,
Thank you for the reply and your information. If I understand correctly I can use all my existing contact/signals to create blocks on my digital system. Of course there would be no digital access which is fine. All I want from it is collision avoidance. This would save me a ton of money and still allow me to access the accessories on the trains themselves IE sounds and lights. I use to set up my own braking tracks with diodes, I suppose that might be a track to far with digital. I also understand lights wouldn’t work when in a sstop. I might give it a try on a small practice loop to test. Thanks again
Paul
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,555 Location: Paris, France
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Hi Paul Yes you may use electro-magnetic logic (signals with contact tracks) on a digital layout. Although Märklin does not suggest it, some (many?) modellbahners have connected a digitally controlled signal (or switch) to a contact track and there seem to be no problem. About insulated stop sectionsYes, the lights and sounds are turned off and the stop is rather abrupt. I started using brake modules (72442) and indeed, the stopping is smooth, lights are on and sounds remain active. I soon discovered this is a very expensive approach (60€ per module) and it requires A LOT OF WIRING. Then I started using Rocrail (other train control software offer similar things) and it gave me this: - no more need for insulated stop section - no use of brake modules as the smooth stopping and starting is standars - simplified wiring - no signals or relays needed to control trains. Signals are only cosmetic (can add them later in visible areas - very easy to organise a shadow station (I have 15 trains capacity in my shadow stations) - any train can behave as a shuttle train without any slider inversion and conducting couplers needed. - full access to automation And what about the cost?- a CS2 or CS3 that I already have. Some others did it using an MS2 and additional modules (Arduino, etc) - a CAT5 CAT6 cable (5€) - a laptop that I already have - a financial contribution or 12€ per annum that you need to pay ONLY if you are satisfied and wish to access the forum. You may start with FULL fonctionality without having to pay first. In case you want to see some possibilities here is my layout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6WnhXPcRqICheers Jean |
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3 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 04/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 480 Location: USA
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Running digital with digital trains gives access to their functions; analog running not. Analog trains cannot run on digital powered track (full power always). Starting digital is not cheap. Cs3 is nicest, as events programming like you mention is readily available. Multi train running best uses pc software that tracks train location using feedback track.
Earlier I used a 2nd hand intellibox with usb connect to an old laptop, which costs hundreds less. I believe that cs2 also would work as a more cost effective approach.
Ben |
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2 users liked this useful post by BenP
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Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,881 Location: Michigan, Troy
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Yes, buying a second hand controller can save, but in the long run may be throwing good money after bad. I'm glad I couldn't afford a CS 2, and waited to upgrade from a 6021 until I could afford an MS2 and a CS3+. So in the long haul, I did also save.
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 Joined: 15/11/2018(UTC) Posts: 431 Location: Uusimaa, Helsinki
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Hi Paul,
My setup is basically not unlike yours: a single track that goes around my room plus some storage tracks.
I own about 40 analog locomotives and 30 digital ones, so I decided to build an analog-digital hybrid where the track power can be switched between analog and digital (with k84 boxes) while the switches and signals are controlled digitally (with k83 boxes).
To operate the setup, I use Rocrail. I ended up getting CAN Digital Bahn boxes to link my track box and MS2 to the computer running Rocrail and for contact track sensing. My 7039/7041 signals are not cosmetic, but actually control the track power of the stop sections so that analog locos stop at them when needed. Rocrail generally slows the digital locomotives to halt before the stop sections, so I can benefit of all their functions without power interruptions.
With a bit of Rocrail XML, I can achieve a uniform level of automation independent of whether I am running analog or digital trains, including automatic reversing of analog locomotives with help of a dedicated trafo giving constant 22V that Rocrail switches on and off with another k84 box.
The downside of this approach is the need of quite a bit of wiring. The plus side is the ability of running both classical analog locomotives and modern digital locomotives without compromises. I feel no need for converting my analog locos to digital. |
- Martti M.
Era III analog & digital (Rocrail, CAN Digital Bahn, Gleisbox/MS2, K83/K84), C & M tracks, some Spur 1 |
3 users liked this useful post by Martti Mäntylä
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Joined: 20/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 3 Location: California, Fairfield
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Thank you to all who have posted. After considering the suggestions posted here and playing with my trains both digital and analog on C and M track I have decided to run a hybrid system. My track will combine M and C track to make it around the room. I am going to use one or maybe two M84s to control blocking also using my analog signals as dummy signals. I found a Mobile Station two for 50 bucks that I think will more than meet my needs. I am going to run one of my old transformers to power the track in addition to the MS2 track box. That way I will be able to run my analog trains one at a time until I can convert them to digital. I will run the digital all off of the MS2 and never have both powers on at the same time. That was a great suggestion by the way. Jean your layout gave me massive train envy, absolutely beautiful! Rocrail is not for me yet. When I get some more time I might consider it for a fun project. Thanks again to all that offered help!
Paul
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2 users liked this useful post by Paul Hedge
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