No, Michel, I am using the MS2 for Marklin locos. I no longer use digital on 2 rail (I did for a short while).

I want to rehash this with a beginner and probably answered else-where question, its an idiot-check on myself to make sure I didn't forget some basic concept.

I'm running a 3-rail Märklin mfx small c-track layout for trains using a Mobile Station 2.

I want to add a separate simple line/track, not connected to the 3-rail c-track, as a 2 rail DCC line to run a street trolley on back and forth that has been fitted with a DCC controller from, say Roco. That separate line is all 2 conductor only.

Plugging the brown and red wires from the Märklin trackbox that is driven by the Mobile Station 2, into the 2-rail line (red one side, brown the other side, it maters not which) I should be capable of configuring and running that DCC loco on the 2-rail segment.

Then, if I put the track box back onto the 3-rail c-track for my Märklin trains, and run wires from that 3-rail c-track to connect the red and brown feeds to the two rails of my DCC leg (which is only connected to the 3-rail track by these two wires), there should be no issues controlling the mfx locos running circles on the c-track 3-conductor, or the 2-conductor DCC track segment correct? (So long as I don't put the 2-conductor DCC street tram onto the 3-conductor c-track (nothing would happen but tram gets no signals getting the same contact on both sides), or a 3-conductor loco or car on the 2-conductor DCC track segment (short circuit would ensue).

Or did I miss something critical?

Do you need the DC line to be digital (DCC)? If not, buy a $40.00 transformer and you have a separate line you can run all the time.

Even if you need a DCC controller, you can buy a used one for not much more than $50.00.

It seems like a lot of work otherwise every time you need to switch.



I do have a question for HO, expecting the answer to be "no".:

Is it possible to connect BOTH the Marklin and the DCC line via the MS2 at the same time and run only one at a time?

Thanks.

EUREKA!

This is the million dollar answer of the day.

Thank you, HO.

That sounds like a nifty idea.

When you actually carry it out, make a video and show us, please.

Thomas, (Minok), what you plan to do works very well.

The following photo shows the exact setup you are planning with mainline 3 rail C track running and a 2 rail DCC tram line running. Both controlled by my colour Ecos and the tram running back and forth as a shuttle. The small tractor in the photo is a Rivarossi Breuer tractor into which I fitted a decoder.The lights are therefore controllable. The toilet block contains an IR detector as does a similar block at the other end of the tram line. ( I think you have seen this on a video I posted).



What is also interesting is the next photo which is under the layout board. A few years ago I realised that if a decoder was mounted under the base board and the motor output taken to a 2 rail track, then any 2 rail DC analogue loco could be run by the Ecos. Simply address the decoder under the board and you have a DC output to the track. This allows a dedicated 2 rail track ( loop or test length) for a 2 rail analogue loco. The lights will work just as a normal analogue loco but no functions are available. The switch is to allow running either way, DCC or DC on the tramline.



I have another Breuer tractor which I kept as 2 rail analogue and it runs the tram if required. (Home made traction device.)




Now to confuse the issue. The first photo shows the tractor with decoder fitted, therefore running DCC. I realised that in DCC mode I could give the under table decoder the same address and it would respond to the same instruction from Ecos. This being the case I used the under table decoder (ESU) f0 light output to control the signal lights at each end station. Hence when the shuttle function works and reverses the direction for the tractor, the light changes to green when the tractor lights change, and after the preset delay the tractor moves off. This setup also works when running a DC analogue train because the under table decoder fo function still controls the signal lights, and will change when I manually reverse the tractor. ( too early in the morning to be doing this from memory!)

Regards,
Howard.