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In my DCC manual it refers to a "Main Line". I don't know what this is. Is there something special that you have to do to set this up? I have a MRC Prodigy Express system. Can I just hook this up to a section of track, set my engine on it and do the programming?
Main Line, in this case, means any part of the layout trackage that receives full DCC power. That would be the output you use to hook up the Prodigy Express to the layout tracks.
The other term you'll run into is programming track. This can be an electrically isolated section of track on the layout, like an industrial spur, a few sections of track mounted somewhere near the controller. You can program "on the main" as long as no other locos are on the tracks. Since this can be a pain on a large layout, a programming track is usually used so you don't change CV values for one locomotive and have the change propagate to all the locos on the main. A programming track also has value to use for testing a newly installed decoder. The Prodigy Express has an output for a programming track that provides less current than the main line so your chances of smoking a new decoder if there's a problem with the install are less.
