Thomas: I have an IB with a mix of 4xLDT DB2 and 2x6604 boosters all runing wit common ground. No problem.

Not unless youare running a CS

... in 3R.

I guess your dealer has built too much 2Rail .

In Märklin it's easy: common ground for everything except the trafos feeding the digital centrals and boosters.

/Lars

Thomas,
I cannot comment more about the 6017 interoperability , and agree whole heartedly with a good and sold TRACK ground bond throughout the layout. Re the transition of the power (Red/Stud) circuit however I make the following observations.

DIRECTLY connecting the outputs of native transformers in order to improve the current/power delivery is still a no-no, However Power Technologies (design and switching management) are today being designed to intellegently manage the joining and shareing of load with balancing circuits. These inevitably filter down to the hobby world.

For example, in a computer datcentre it is common to have N+1 UPS feeding a common bus. This enables a single UPS unit to be serviced while the others pick up the load - and/or - additional UPS to be added incrementally as demand grows (The Cables have to be rated correctly of course).

Likewise with Train digital controllers, if the track circuits of a 6021 and ITs booster are shorted there is little drama. (NB the important thing here is that the boosters signal is in sync with the 6021 so make sure the brown goes to rail and the red to stud - This should NOT be done with 2 seperate 6021 domains)

Here I reference articles, including the schematic that comes with the CS "http://maerklin-info.de/systems/Systemarchitektur2.pdf" , that shows no witches hat between sections like the analoge equivilents used to. Also a quote from the latest "Insider Club News" When you use a standard 6015/6017 booster, you don't. need rocker insulators ..... provided the locomotive-hauled train does not come to a halt on the transition area.
This is about as close as it gets to Marklin sanctioning a practice that people have being 'getting away with' for years.

As to your IB question I can specifically relate that a 1 gauge Modular group I am involved with uses an IB and (currently) 2 Power 6s for areas of the layout. It was found that any transition block (as originally designed) was not necessary. So unlike Marklin HO where the short was only at the ski we have a situation where a short exists potentially along the whole length of the train. Some of these beasts (with 2 motors, lights, sound and camera) can draw a lot of current and I have been monitoring this (risk) with interest, however todate there has been no ill effects (transformer blown or even cutout).
Warning: your milage may vary. The transition I describe above is between two , like rated, Power 6s. I would discourage using boosters with different ratings.

I was looking for info as well on how to separate track ppower and came across this thread. In another thread I had posted some diagrams of components I wanted to hook-up. If I understand this right, if you connect CS with boosters (6017 or 60172) you DONT need to insulate any track..right? But if you connect the CS with a 6021 then you HAVE to insulate circuits?.

I have a mix of components that I am trying to use on a medium size lay-out. Since I would like to run lighted passenger cars etc. I was planning on using several components, such as:
- CS with 60VA trafo for double "passenger" line
- booster (60172 or 6017, have it on order) with 42VA trafo for single "freight" line
- 6021 with 42VA trafo, connected with keyboard, mostly for switches

It gets pretty confusing for me [:(]. What happens when the pick-up shoe goes across two separate power feeding areas? and what in the heck is a rocker insulation? Have not seen one close by

IMHO It's not a good idea to use CS together with boosters. Märklin tells that you must use ski lifters when passing from the CS power district and going into 6015 or 6017 districts, and 60172 is non existent.
The best solution I can thing of (if you insist of using the CS) is to let it power a separate "program track" so to say; when a new mfx loco should be run you place it first on this track, and the lift it and move it to the main layout, powered with only 6017 and 6015 boosters (or Uhlenbrock compatibles). 6021 should be sold, and switched operated on the CS output as well. No need for the keyboard either, as far as I can see.

/Lars

The 6021 does not get power from the CS - the output of the 6021 is connected to the CS. You cannot use the output of the 6021 to power your layout (it won't receive commands from the CS).
You need a separate transformer to power the CS.

Ok..I could still operate with this set-up:



I have almost all the components (I need the booster) and could use the 6021 and keyboard to control the turn-outs (does it make sense??).
I have not seen a rocker insulation.. is it used to separate the tracks when the pick-up shoe goes over the connection point so that it does not "short" the two circuits? Someone has a picture of it? how much length of track do you need for this connection?

The issue is mainly how many trains do you want to run.. I plan to have at least 4-5 lighted passenger trains and they may "suck" my 60vA .. or maybe not (I am not a "sparky" electrician.. )..

What do you guys think?

nice illustration Mario, I wish marklin would make one for every safe and correct combination, allowed the little bit extra that you added like the wire color and transformers would have made there article in the last issue more clear. I can't see that it would be an advantage to run the turnouts from the keyboard unless you have an old 6041 - Switchboard, I think it would be easer to run the switches from the CS, But I think I would rather use a 6021 over a CS to run some of my older delta locos and for things like running around a switching yard

Mario,
1. your illustration shows a use of the 24088 "ugly box" AND connection but the wires. Märklin has asked you to avoid using both options at the same time.
2. What you call "isolation", should also include ski lifters.

/Lars