Dual Controller question

[STB]

If you run the locos with Railmaster and have the accessories on an Elite as Controller B, if you have a short circuit if a loco derails for example, Controller B is also knocked out of action until you restore Controller A?

[Chrissaf]

Are you asking a question as to whether that does happen or or you making a statement that this is what happens with your set up. The grammar in your sentence is written as a statement. Is the word "is" missing in the sentence in front of the word "Controller" and placed after the word in error. Such that your sentence was meant to read

".....for example, is Controller B also knocked out....."

What should happen is that both controllers in RM operate independantly of each other with their own individual 'short circuit protection'. Which means that a short on the track [controller A] does not affect controller B and a short on controller B does not affect controller A.

If you have an Elite and an eLink, then it is typically accepted that the Elite is controller A and the eLink is controller B, but both controllers can be an eLink or an Elite.

Controller B can ONLY be configured to operate points and signals as Accessories. Controller B can not be configured to either control locos OR perform any programming task. So, any Hornby Accessory Decoder programming has to be done on controller A before transferring the DCC input wiring of the Accessory Decoder to controller B.

[96RAF]

If you think about it Controller A is only connected to the track bus and Controller B is only connected to the accessory bus. Both controllers talk to RM only via USB so effectively they are two separate layouts, one for locos and programming and one for points, signals, etc.

[Fishmanoz]

My short answer to the question I see is NO.

In fact, this is the only reason for separating the buses and using 2 controllers in my view. Power usage on the accessory bus is minimal so little advantage for it.