Greeting everyone,
First time post here! Please bare with me, and my ignorance, but after nearly 30 years after getting my first marklin set, I have dusted off my old track, purchased a digital controller (6001 and 6021), and upgraded to digital! Its been a blast.

However, I am starting to be limited by my ignorance of all things electrical (and somewhat mechanical). So as I finalize my layout, and start to lay the track in earnest, I have a few questions.
A little about the layout. Its all M track, about 60-65’ of track, 6 switches (5202 & 5137), one 5207, 6021 controller and 6001 transformer, one set of lead wires to the track. I have extensive lighting that I am wiring on an old separate transformer (a few spare 6627’s).

I plan on adding another 60-70 feet of track, another 5 or 6 switches (likely 5202 and 5137), and also some track signal and incorporating some of the control track sections.
So my questions are as follows, and I am sure that I will have many more!

1) Do I need to power my 5202/5137 switches from the 6021, or can I use an old spare 6627 to power the switches (independently wired) if the 6021 is powering the track? If I can use the 6627, does it need to be tied in to the system in any way?
2) Can I use something like the keyboard 6040 to control the turnouts and track signals?
3) If I am wiring pieces into the track, like a 7191 end block, do they also need to use the 6021, or can they also be fed by an independent transformer, like in #1 above?
4) Some of my less expensive older delta trains, appear to have their power drop on various parts of the track. I imagine that I need to either boost the power, or put in more feeder lines (and I am always scared when I read about isolating track because I have no idea what this is), or…well. I don’t really know. This is probably my biggest area where I need advice.
5) Is there a way to access the additional features of mfx trains, beyond moving to the control stations? I have a 6 year old, and I want to try to keep it more bottom push simple for him (and me).
6) Do solenoids work with digital? Why did I need to remove the solenoid from my feeder track before hooking up the 6021…Do you see the level of my confusion? Lol.
7) Based on what I am planning above, any advice, tips, are greatly appreciated!

I know that there are lots of random questions above, but I have been struggling with this for months, so any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you all in advance, and looking forward to be part of the forum!
Gunter

Thank you so much Tex. I appreciate the help. I was thinking about just using the push buttons, as I have some of the older blue marklin units. Would you happen to know if I need to power the turnouts through the 6021 that I am using to power the track, or could I use a completely independent source, like the old 6627 transformers (and hence not draw too much from the 6021 running the trains). But this ties in again I suppose with my questions regarding total track power...

I have a fairly large layout and power my turnouts from a separate transformer and, also, use a booster for track current.

Before you get too far along you might want to look at going for C track especially if you plan to use some of the newer products being offered. For example, I was told by a dealer that the new ESU engines should not be used with M track but would work with C track. The C track system will give you tighter fitting connections as well as more realistic wider turns. I think if I were to be starting over I would use C track despite the higher cost. M track will work but requires care to avoid wide gaps ( don't ask me how I know )

Tex

If your going to use your old m track, don't forget removing the suppressor from the power track going from analog to digital.

Bob