Hello,i have no experience with CS1. But i assume that feedback is going to port 3 in the S88 module?

Hello,

Your proposal will not work.
This is not how the Route and Conditional Route works.

A solution for you is to purchase 2 x 24994 Circuit Tracks.
Place one just after the stop section of the track, and make this one activate the RED port on the M84.
Place one on the opposite side of the layout, and make this one activate the GREEN port on the M84.
Then your two trains will operate around the layout, chasing each other but never catching up.

Regards
John

I have never actually used a Conditional Route, but I imagine that it works well with a Track Occupancy Test.

For example, consider this following algorithm which you may want to implement in a situation where you have a Main Line and a Branch Line through a station area, with a Turnout at the entrance : "If the Main Line is Occupied, then switch to the Branch Line."

So, to implement this, you would need to have an Occupancy Test for a Train on the Main Line. You would do this by cutting one outer rail on your C-track, and then connecting the isolated outer track to a s88 port. The Occupancy Test is True if there is a train on the Main Line and the wheels make contact with the isolated rail registering with the s88. You would then have a 24994 Circuit Track before your station entrance which would activate a Route on your CS1 switching the Turnout to the Branch Line with a Conditional Feedback depending if the Main Line was Occupied.

In your example with your loop, connect the 2 x 24994 Circuit tracks to the s88, say ports 1 and 2.
Now create a Route in your CS1 to change a Turnout and a Signal, by ticking the little box and indicating whether you want RED or GREEN for your accessories, remembering that you can tick several accessories in a Route. You now activate your Route from the Feedback from the s88.

Remember to make sure that in your CS1 Settings, somewhere that indicates whether you have Automated Control switched ON (ie the Routes are activated by the s88 inputs) or Automated Control switched OFF (the s88 do not activate the Routes and you run everything manually)

In some of the Marklin instructions, they write about the difference between a Continuous trigger and a Momentary trigger.
In a Continuous trigger example, one would test for Track Occupancy, and you could use a Conditional algorithm to do something.
In a Momentary trigger example, a train passing over a Circuit Track generates a Momentary trigger.
Be sure to understand the difference and how to use the results.

Regards
John

The problem was solved by changing the wiring.

I started from the wrong premise that I need to connect the feedback track to the s88 module instead of connecting them directly to the m84.

The following diagram shows the connections. I still have some issues but that's only with some locomotives/wagons and it's because they are not making good contact with the track.

Thank you Johnvr for the idea!




Now I have to figure out how to make a specific locomotive to activate a switch in order to change tracks

For a small layout as you describe in your oval loop, that is fine to connect the Circuit Tracks to the m84.
Or even directly to a signal if it has a solenoid and a relay, like the old 7039 semaphore signal.
It's easy.

However, in a larger layout, the correct procedure is to connect the 24994 Circuit Tracks to the s88, and the CS1 uses Routes to change the signals.
In this way, you can use the power of the CS1 software to do many more things to operate the layout programmatically.

On my layout, I have 3 x s88 linked together giving me 48 input ports.
So I have 24 x 24994 Circuit Tracks connected in both directions, giving me 48 input triggers from the s88.
There are 14 signals to be operated, and 18 Turnouts on the layout. I use the CS2 Routes, to activate signals and Turnouts.
The CS2 can also trigger Locomotive Functions, such as Whistle, Steam, Lights, Loco speed and braking, activated from the s88 triggers.
Another nice feature is the timing delay in the Route, so that a Signal can go green with a timing delay rather than immediately, then the Whistle sounds, then the smoke starts, then the chuffing begins as the train start to move and accelerate speed. It is very realistic.
So to make changes to my schedule or the locomotive operations is all software programming, not hardware changing wires, etc.

I thought of one more possibility for you to try with the CS1, where the Circuit Tracks are linked to the s88 and you use Routes in the CS1 :
In your one picture of the Routes under the "Properties" tab, there are 4 groups, namely A and B and C and D.
You need to assign each of your Routes to one of these Groups (ABCD), and then ensure that the Automation is switched on for that Group.
For example, you can assign your Main Line Routes to Group A, and activate these routes in Group A automatically, while Routes in Groups B and C and D are not selected to be activated. I think there is a setting to indicate which Groups you want to activate automatically.
Try that, and let us know.

Regards
John

I haven’t figured out yet HOW to program the CS in order to use routes to change signals




As I said, I didn’t even managed to program that damn thing to do a simple task (use routes to change a signal). Using the Groups is way more advanced than I can understand right now