Atlas Gold ALCO RS-1 Quick Start Manual

DC and DCC Operation of

Atlas Gold Series HO Scale

RS-1 Diesel Locomotives

equipped with ESU LokSound

Select Sound-Decoders

21 May 2014, Version 1.1

for ESU Firmware Version 4.10.?

Quick Start for DC and DCC Operation of Atlas Gold Series HO-Scale Alco
RS-1 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-1
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-1 locomotive when the locomotive is operated on DC and on DCC power. Please
note that a few updates to the software used in this locomotive have been made. As a result, certain
DCC function buttons operate somewhat differently than they did in the first two Atlas HO Gold Series
locomotives (RS-3 and S-2) that were equipped with LokSound Select sound-decoders. You can
download from the Atlas website the current version of the Atlas User Manual

[1]

, which includes this
locomotive. This User Manual explains in detail the differences in DCC function key operation between
various ESU software versions, as well as giving a more complete description of both DC and DCC
operation.

DC Operation of your Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-1 Locomotive

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 be Off.

On a DC-powered layout, an Atlas HO-scale Gold Series Alco RS-1 locomotive will automatically produce
sounds that are appropriate for its current state of operation. For example, the Startup sound sequence
plays before the locomotive begins to move, and Brake Squeals play 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, using the same DCC programming that is used to change these characteristics in DCC operation.
See Reference [1] for details. However, a Standard (full-featured) DCC System, as opposed to a Basic
DCC System, may be needed to make some or all of these changes.

and larger).

2

DCC Operation of your Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-1 Locomotive

• 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 (after the DCC throttle is advanced) running sounds.

- 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 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-1 locomotives.

Start-Up sound sequence has played.

DCC Function Key Operation for Atlas HO-scale Gold Series RS-1 Locomotives

Works

Only with

Engine

Sounds

On

Function

Key

Locomotive Behavior when Press

Function Key

Function
Behavior

(Latching or

Non-latching)

F0 Front and Rear Headlights are directional. Latching No No
F1 Bell (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching No No
F2 Horn blows until push F2 key again Latching

Horn Horn blows only while Horn key held down Non-Latching

No No

F3 Two Coupler Clank sounds alternate Non-Latching No No
F4 Diesel Fans (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching Yes No

F5

Dynamic Brake Fan (1st push on/2nd push
off)

Latching

Yes Yes

Only active when prime mover sound on

F6

Optional Ditch Lights (1st push on/2nd push
off)

Latching

- -

F7 Switching Mode (1st push on/2nd push off) Latching No No
F8 Audio Mute and Start Up/Shut Down Latching No No

F9

F10

F11

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

Latching

Latching

Latching

Yes No

Yes No

- -

Works

Only

When

Moving

3