Gold
DC and DCC Operation of
Atlas Gold Series HO Scale
Alco RS-3 Diesel Locomotives
equipped with ESU LokSound
Select Sound-Decoders
07 May 2014, Version 1.1
for ESU Firmware Version 4.8.9156
Quick Start for DC and DCC Operation of Atlas Gold Series HO-Scale Alco RS-3
Diesel Locomotives Equipped with ESU LokSound Select Sound-Decoders
Congratulations on your purchase of an Atlas Master™ Gold Series HO-scale model of an Alco RS-3
locomotive that is factory-equipped with an ESU LokSound Select sound-decoder. This sound-decoder
provides the highest quality sound plus state-of-the art motor control. Your locomotive can run on either
conventional DC (with basic features) or on NMRA Digital Command Control (with full features).
This document describes the features of the LokSound Select sound-decoder installed in the Atlas HO
Gold Series Alco RS-3 locomotive when the locomotive is operated on DC or on DCC power. You can
download from the Atlas website the current version of the Atlas User Manual
[1]
, which includes this
locomotive. This User Manual provides a more complete description of both DC and DCC operation.
DC Operation of your Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-3Locomotive
Using a standard variable-voltage DC power pack, turn the DC throttle up slowly until you begin to hear
locomotive sounds (around 5 volts). You will hear the diesel engine Start-Up sound sequence, which
lasts about 25 seconds. The locomotive will NOT move before the Start-Up sequence has been
completed. The headlight facing the direction in which the locomotive will move turns on in its Dim state.
Once the start-up sequence has been completed, turn up the throttle voltage up to (about 7 volts) until the
locomotive starts to move. Note that you must turn the throttle to a higher setting than you would to make
a non-sound locomotive start to move. The locomotive starts moving slowly due to built-in inertia from the
BEMF (Back EMF) motor control. The headlight in the direction of movement will turn from Dim to Bright;
the headlight facing the opposite direction will continue to be illuminated in the Dim state.
On a DC-powered layout, an Atlas HO-scale Gold Series Alco locomotive will automatically produce
sounds that are appropriate for its current state of operation. (e.g., the Startup sound sequence before the
locomotive begins to move) and Brake Squeals as the locomotive grinds to a halt. However, it is not
possible to trigger individual sounds (such as the horn or bell) manually with DC track power. If you wish
to have manual control of sounds, Atlas suggests that you invest in a Basic DCC system which will allow
you to control all available sounds and other special effects in your locomotive and yet be essentially as
simple to operate as a DC power pack. Basic DCC systems that are currently available include the:
- NCE DCC Twin,
- MRC Prodigy Explorer DCC,
- MRC TECH 6 Sound Controller 6.0 (usable in smaller scales, but primarily intended for O-scale
Moreover, one can change certain operational characteristics of the locomotive when operating on DC
power by using the same DCC programming steps that are used to change these characteristics in DCC
operation. See Reference [1] for details
and larger).
2
DCC Operation of your Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-3 Locomotive
Works
Works
• Start-Up Behavior
As shipped from the factory, this locomotive behaves as follows at start-up:
- Locomotive sounds will start up immediately after DCC power is applied to the track; you will
first hear the sounds of a diesel locomotive starting up from a powered-down state, followed
by normal idling sounds and then (after the Start Up sound sequence has finished playing
and the DCC throttle is advanced) running sounds will be heard.
- Even if you advance the DCC throttle, the locomotive will NOT move until AFTER the entire
If the above behavior at startup is acceptable, there is nothing more that you need to do. If, however,
you would like your locomotive to behave differently, see Example 3 in Appendix 4 of Reference [1] to
change the behavior described in the first Dash item and Example 1 in Appendix 4 of this same
reference to change the behavior described in the second Dash item
• DCC Functions Available in Atlas HO-Scale Gold Series Alco RS-3 Locomotives
The ESU LokSound Select sound-decoder provides a number of different DCC functions that can be
triggered by pressing the appropriate key (e.g., press the “5” key to trigger DCC Function #5) on your
DCC controller. The following table lists the DCC functions available in the ESU LokSound Select
sound-decoder installed in Atlas Gold Series HO-scale RS-3 locomotives.
Start-Up sound sequence has played.
DCC Function Key Operation for Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-3 Locomotives
Function
Function
Key
Locomotive Behavior when
Press Function Key
Behavior
(Latching or Non-
latching)
Front and Rear Headlights are directional. Both head-
F0
F1 Bell (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching No No
F2
Horn
F3 Two Coupler Clank sounds alternate Non-Latching No No
F4 Diesel Fans (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching Yes Yes
F5
F6 Optional Ditch Lights (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching - F7 Switching Mode (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching No No
F8
F9
F10
F11
F12 Dim Headlight (1st push dim/2nd push bright) Latching No Yes
F13
lights Dim when On and stationary. Headlight in
direction of movement Bright. (1st push on/2nd push off)
Horn blows until push F2 key again Latching
Horn blows only while Horn key held down Non-Latching
Dynamic Brake Fan (1st push on/2nd push off)
Only active when prime mover sound on
Audio Mute and Start Up/Shut Down Latching
Manual Notching Up sounds (1st push on/2nd push
off)
Manual Notching Down sounds (1st push on/2nd
push off)
AUX3 Function Output (1st push on/2nd push off).
Preset to MARS light
AUX4 Func Output
(1st push on/2nd push off)
Latching
Latching
Latching
Latching
Latching
Latching
Only with
Engine
Sounds
On
No No
No No
Yes Yes
No No
Yes No
Yes No
- -
- -
Only
When
Moving
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