For those of you having the MS that prefers an exclusive track for "installing" a new locomotive.

A simple way to select between a layout and a programming track when using a MS is for instance to mount a µswitch physically somewhere on the ugly box, electrically between the pcb and the track,
edited:
i.e. remove the red wire from the B terminal of the track,
connect (solder) it to the C (common) of the µswitch,
solder a new red wire from terminal B of the track to the NC (normally closed) contact,
solder a new red wire from an electrically isolated track to the NO (normally open) contact
and solder an extra brown wire to the flat sleeve connector at the [size=2]O terminal of the track.

Viola, you can select to run the layout or the programming track by throwing a switch. As an extra precaution operate only the switch with the MS in Stop mode.


Cover of the Ugly Box removed for access to the red wire:


A µswitch is installed and wired:


The added set of wires for the programming track is "parked" if not used:


The Ugly Box represents the layout and the perpendicular track to it a programming track. The µswitch pointing towards the track (shown) enables the layout/disables the progr. track and the opposite when pointing away:

I have been thinking about making somthing like this, my plan was to let the programming-track be a part of the layout, so i could drive a train onto it, then switch rest of the layout off, program the decoder, switch the layout back on, drive away.
This would require the uglybox to be the programming-track, and a couple of the small red things to disconnect the centre-track.
Then the switch would simply couple the programmingtrack to rest of the layout.

Michael

I wonder if Benny's clever idea can be applied also in a Control Unit (6021) controlled layout. Thus, can I connect a MS programming track with a separate transformer to my 6021 layout and let the switch change from 6021 layout status to MS-programming status?