Hello Thomas <s>the fool</s>

First of all, please note our dear Webmaster's proverb in his posts.

I am very glad that somebody dares to ask about things that many of us want to ask but don't have the nerve to do.

A digital layout cannot be completely without wires, but the number of wires is drastically reduced, and several functions can be made easily by the CS2, functions that are practically impossible in the analog world.

I cannot give you any details, as I have not started my own layout yet, but I am sure that many of the members will pop up with many good answers to your questions.

Good luck - and I am looking forward to learn some more from the answers.

I'd say this...

A - The good ole analog way with a stop track, but control the signal with an accessory decoder instead of the wires to contact track. Contact track goes to a feedback module instead...

B - Fancy version of A, use a break module that stops the train gradually.

C - Use computer software to calculate distance to signals and keep track of locomotives and rely on the software to stop a loco in the right place.

D - Some intelligent combination of A-B-C...


Märklin has a good book about it called "Controlling - Switching - Running, Electrical Manual" with the article number 07421. And yes, that article number is the English version.

It does not deal with the CS2, only up to CS1 is mentioned, but it actually shows all connection variants and logic you need to know with pictures and text...

Even I understand most of it... So it's highly recommended...

Thomas,
I too have struggled with the transition from Analogue to Didital systems. I have a CS1 but still feel that I am not using it to its full capabilities. Perhaps if someone could start a mentoring series..say with easy to follow suggestions/diagrams on using an S88, Block setup. Signals etc..it would be great. Sometimes the English translations from German text are hard to follow.

This is interesting - it seems that it's not only I who don't get it
First I would like to thank everyone who has tried to point me in the right direction. I will take your advice and try what you recommend.

Just some final words on this "hopeless" case - ie. me.
I can assure you in my case that it is not a language barrier that prevents me from understanding. The barrier is knowledge and background in electronics.

I have read all the CS manuals and brochures I have found - I understand the text but I can't decode it or apply what it says (apart from where to plug in the power) since I am schooled in languages and communications (human to human) - not in electronics.

This makes me wonder how many more people like me that exists out there who don't have the time and competence to "go digital" and still love model trains? This makes me wonder how many lost opportunities, like me, that dont dare to spend the money, Marklin got out there.

The Digital model train companies out there, don't answer the 2 golden questions that in this case make non-experts buy their products:

- What's in it for me (i.e WHY shall I buy it OR Benefits of going digital)
- How do I use the product? (HOW TO)

For experts, such as many of you, - the "Fun"/"Interest" factor applies to a far greater extent than to me which makes you buy the products and since you got the code (background) you can interpret what they say and make amazing things with your train layouts, I can't.

I have no idea what theirs market research look like but the conclusion I come to is that they probably have identified schooled engineers that are interested in model trains as their market. Well - I don't know if they can make a living from that narrow client base. Maybe I am wrong - maybe Marklin is doing very well - I don't know.

Make a comparison to "Sony" who make TV-sets. Most of us "generalists" are just happy enjoying the TV without having any clue how the TV was built and how it really works and we have no interest in building one ourself one day. I just want to learn how the remote control work (in less than 10 minutes) and then watch my program - thats it. In short - they show the generalist HOW TO.

I bought into the mobile station - liked it - easy to use - got it to work in 5 minutes - true "Sony"-style. An in-expensive toy that I could use right away . It got me tempted to do more digital stuff - but I find it close to impossible. The gap is too wide for me based on my background. I still press my analogue buttons to set switches etc. I guess the CS can do that for me "intelligently" so I have great expectations. I have mechanically learned how to do analog - I don't understand analog at all really - but I know HOW TO since someone took the time to show me and I read some very easy to understand books.

I shall now read the book I was recommended - I shall read it seriously and really make an effort - I promise. I will give a report later.

I think it is an excellent idea that DocHop launched - get some "non engineer" to team up with "the engineer" to explain the difficult things in a simple way with easy to understand not too technical drawings. I would love to read something like "HOW TO make a train stop gently in front of a station" listing the name of all the components (ingredients) to buy and HOW TO install them (how to cook the meal).

You see - it's all about communications - one can explain just about anything to anyone IF you use the right words and drawings to go with it. It is just like teaching your children - they know "nothing" the first years but you will be amazed what patient teachers and parents can accomplish - your kids might even grow up and become electronic engineers or a professor in Japanese... so the task is far from impossible!

Cheers /thomas

Hi Thomas

I have to admit that I *am* an engineer - electronics and software - and although I understand a lot about Marklin digital now, that was not always the case - it took me a while to get to grips with all the nuances of the system. [B)] Even as an engineer, there is a lot that is not always obvious and that the manuals do not really make much clearer. [V] So, rest assured, you are not alone, but the book that Juhan recommended is the one that I swear by and I still reference it regularly to remind myself of how something should be done. Be warned though that there will still be areas that will only become clear when you have a chance to experiment with them yourself - many things are not simply TV remote equivalents in the MRR digital world. [}:)] For many of us though - some non-engineers included - part of the fun is trying things out to find out what can really be done, so you never know, perhaps that aspect will open up a new avenue of enjoyment of MRR to you one day.

Martin

Have a read of this booklet. While it is a bit outdated in that it deals with the older 6021 digital controller rather than the CS2, the concepts are still the same.

http://rapidshare.com/fi...er_-_Marklin_Digital.pdf

(Click on free user, wait 50 or so seconds, then you will get a download button).

I'm back! I have read 07241 "Controlling, Switching, Running". I have also read your posts - there will soon be a new congregation in town! Let me get back to it.
First to the book. Actually not bad. I understood quite a lot.. First 20 pages deals with power and the remaining 80 give you examples how to connect stuff (both analog and digital). I estimate I can understand maybe 50% of it (the analog part.. :)).... The digital examples are actually quite horrible to me - the description of the staging yard and automatic circuits makes me give up.. HOWEVER - I SHALL NOT... I suggest that "us idiots" - post in this forum when we get something to work. Lets attach silly drawings, showing which cable goes to which hole etc. A kind of foolproof storytelling if yhou know what I mean. Starting from the very start - zooming in at the connections etc. What do you say about that? Let the experts laugh at us... we dont care - right? Instructions like W1 gr and S2Rd is strictly VERBOTEN. It should read like "You take the red cable from XXX and put it into hole no 4 or 6 in YYY. Then you check that it works by pressing X on the CS".
I promise I will deliver something - lets start building up the "Digital for Dummies" archive!

Another thing - I talked to a colleague about my frustration with "the toymaker marklin" and he said something very funny. "The best way NOT to sell expensive toys to granddaddy/daddy is to make sure he cant explain it to his son/grandson" . Kind of true! See you later! I shall now do the opposite and go buy a CS and some signals etc and see if I even can get a train to stop when the light is red.....give me time... then lets deal with the shadowstation concept...
Cheers

Hi Guys. As I said earlier best way is with a start set. Reading the book is not much use if you dont have the equipment.
Once you are up and running digital (about 20 minutes) when it comes to the more complicated stuff just ask here anmd follow the instructions.
You can read a lot about s88 and decoders etc but until you have one it will mean very little.

Hi Mike
I will also be completely new to digital operation.I have already asked the same similar type questions.I am going to take Davemr.
advice and once I get some track laid(M track),I will buy a starter
set with Mobile Station and a digital Loco.
Then the fun begins!
Ian

Hi Dave
It will be another 2 or 3 months before buying a starter set so the new MS might be out by then.Do you know if it's output will be greater allowing say 3 to 4 loco's running at the one time?
I've already bought 3 digital loco's of e-bay and as yet been unable
to run them.So yes I am looking forward to seeing them run.
Ian