Hello all, first post here.

is it better to use a 6021 controller or MS2 on old M track layouts with lots of turnouts and signals?

I have a layout I created from my very first M track kit and just kept building it. So, would like to keep using it and not convert to other track. I have two older locos with "fx" digital and one new mfx+ loco. Also have a few analog engines, but not the point here.

I purchased a used 6021 Controller+6001 Transformer and a new Digital Starter set 29000 with Mobile Station 2. I have learned here that it is possible to program the new mfx+ engine with a second, third, and fourth address for MM2 control from the 6021. I have not done it yet, but understand the idea. There will never be more than 4 engines on this layout, so using up multiple addresses per engine is not a problem.

In my testing so far on M track, the 6021 controller seems to work better than the MS2. The MS2 did not work at all at first, but I found the loco protocol was set to "mfx,DCC" and had to be changed to "mfx,DCC,MM2" or just "mfx,MM2". The 6021 appears to keep asserting the control signals even when the loco connection to the track is poor. The MS2, on the other hand, keeps moving to STOP when it sees a bad loco to track connection. I also read the 6021 may be operating at a higher voltage so better able to deal with poor connections

I'm thinking of putting the 6001 and 6021 on the old M Track layout and using the MS2 and K track it came with as a test/programing loop. Is that best?

Thanks for the quick reply on this.
I did forget to mention that I DID remove the capacitors on the section of the main layout that I was testing on. The connection problems occurred at the turnouts. If you recall the M track turnouts, they are kind of mechanical wonder/mess.

At points some couplers short out, try to adjust heights of couplers and "pukos", the third dotted rail in the middle of the tracks. It happens all the time with analogue trains on M-track. But there it doesnt matter, it just sparks and adds to the charm.

Regards

Henrik Schütz

Spent some quality time down with the M track layout, engines and controllers tonight. All track capacitors removed.










So, will go ahead and wire in the 6021 Controller and 6021 Transformer and remove the isolators between the sections and signals.
I am not sure what do do with my little Bavarian PtL 3/3 (37189) mfx+ loco. Its a perfect companion to the the Bavarian S 3/6 and Gt 2x 4/4. if it does not get better after track cleaning will be idling while I look for another "fx" loco.

After i slept on it, thinking of just leaving it analog. I have about 10 functional signals wired in with isolated track and they are kind of a mechanical work of art. One old blue transformer runs the outer track and one runs the inner track and yards. If I can't run new loco on there anyway, I can run the old ones like my trusty 3003.

No reason not to run digital, and with the 6021 it will work well. The 6001 transformer will also power all your signals etc off the secondary connection

Hello Steve

Have you got the instruction on how to program the address number of a mfx loco using the 6021 Controller ?
You will need these instructions to program the address numbers.
And yes, the consecutive address numbering does operate functions F5 - F8.

6021 Programming

Regards
John

How the loco is performing in this case is not to do with it being mfx.

Things that affect the the performance is cleanliness of track, corrosion on pukos (centre contact), condition of pick up shoe, and how well earthed the loco is through it wheels. Some locos have always performed better than others in any digital operation.

Yes, I have investigated more and agree that the primary problem with the mfx+ loco is the M track interaction with the loco wheels. I cleaned and cleaned the track and the loco is new. It did not make any difference. Kept looking at the pukos and pickup shoe, but nothing helped. Then I noticed that the loco consistently stopped on turnouts going one direction and had no problem the other direction. Hmm....

Turned out this new PtL 3/3 loco (37189) only has a traction band on one of the rearmost wheels. The other one is not grooved to have a band. The manual shows both rear wheels should have a band. The wheel with a band is a little large so the loco is not quite on all wheels. With the weight to the rear, it has those two wheels down and one front down on the side opposite the traction band. The other front one on the same side of the traction band is not touching well. Normally, this is not a problem, but in the M track turnouts have a section on one side guided by plastic. The other side is on metal, but going one direction the single insulated traction wheel is holding up the front wheels so there is poor contact when that side is on metal. This is why there is no problem going the other direction. I was able to add some weight temporarily to the loco front to put both those wheels down and it had no trouble then for both directions. Now I know what is going on, I can figure out best permanent solution.

I agree the mfx+ is not the primary cause, but an efficient motor that draws little current and a controller that is very quick to stop (low ability to hold up voltage), does not help this.