Rail King NYC Dreyfuss 4-6-4 Operating Instructions Manual

RK

AIL ING

By MTH Electric Trains

®

NYC Dreyfuss 4-6-4

STREAMLINED STEAM ENGINE

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Thank you for purchasing the RailKing Die-Cast NYC Dreyfuss 4-6-4 steam engine. The
engine’s die-cast body and tender are traditionally sized for operation on any O-27 layout.
The engine is compatible with any standard AC transformer, (see page 25 for a complete
list of compatible transformers and wiring instructions), and is completely compatible with
most 3-rail locomotives, rolling stock and accessories.

The locomotive and tender are equipped with either an electronic whistle or the
ProtoSound Digital Sound and Train Control System which contains several deluxe

features that are simple and fun to operate. Each feature is described among the following
pages which should be read before the engine is operated. For those of you who can’t wait
to get started, the Quick Start Operating Instructions found on Page 3 should be read so
that you understand the basics of the operating system. Please note that some features
are only found in the ProtoSound equipped engines and are marked as such. Features not

marked as ProtoSound are available in both versions.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 2

Table Of Contents

QUICK START - BASIC OPERATION (All Models) 3
SMOKE UNIT OPERATION 4
PROTOSOUNDS™ OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 5

DCRU™ REVERSE UNIT OPERATION (All Models) 6
WHISTLE OPERATION 7
BELL OPERATION 7
SQUEAKING BRAKE SOUNDS 8
ACTIVATING AND TRIGGERING THE SQUEAKING BRAKE SOUNDS 8
TIPS ON USING THE SQUEAKING BRAKE FEATURE 9
PASSENGER STATION PROTO-EFFECTS™ (PFA) 9
ACTIVATING AND TRIGGERING PASSENGER STATION SOUNDS 10
TIPS ON USING THE FYS FEATURES 12
OPTIONAL PROTO-COUPLER OPERATION 13
SELF-RECHARGING BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM 13
REPLACING THE PROTOSOUND™ BATTERY 14
PROTOSOUND™ VOLUME ADJUSTMENT 14

USING “RESET" TO PROGRAM PROTOSOUNDS™ 15

ENTERING RESET OPTIONS 15
SETTING THE ENGINE CHUFFING VOLUME 15
PROGRAMMING FOR A SEPARATE BELL BUTTON CONTROLLER 16
PROGRAMMING FOR WHISTLE IN NEUTRAL OPERATION 16
PROGRAMMING FOR OPTIONAL PROTOCOUPLER OPERATION 17

PROGRAMMING FOR SQUEAKING BRAKES AND FYS OPERATION 17
ACTIVATING REMOTE LOCK-OUT CONTROL 18
RESETTING ALL PROTOSOUND OPTIONS TO FACTORY DEFAULTS 18
REVERSE UNIT LOCK-OUT OPERATION 19
LOCKING THE ENGINE INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE 19

UNLOCKING THE ENGINE 19
LOCKING THE ENGINE INTO NEUTRAL 19

OIL & LUBRICATION INSTRUCTIONS 20
TRACTION TIRE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS 21
BOILER LIGHT BULB & SMOKE UNIT REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT 21
TROUBLE SHOOTING PROTOSOUND™ PROBLEMS 22

TRANSFORMER COMPATIBILITY AND WIRING CHART 25
PROTOSOUND RESET FEATURE CHART 26

ADJUSTING THE GAP BETWEEN LOCO & TENDER 26
SERVICE AND WARRANTY INFORMATION 27
HOW TO GET SERVICE 27
LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY 27

3 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

QUICK START - BASIC OPERATION

The RailKing NYC Dreyfuss contains state-of-the-art electronics with several built-in
automatic features for incredibly realistic operation. Despite these advanced features, the
Dreyfuss is easy to operate with any compatible standard AC transformer. (See the
compatiblity chart on page 25) All models are equipped with an operating smoke system
that must be primed with smoke fluid before operating. Adding 15 - 20 drops of fluid
through the smoke stack should be sufficient. If you choose not to prime the unit with

fluid, turn the smoke unit switch located under the locomotive trailing truck to the
OFF position (see Figure 2 on page 4). This will prevent any damage from occurring to the

smoke unit when running the engine without a primed smoke unit. See the section on page 4
on Smoke Unit operation for more information.

All Dreyfuss models are controlled by a DCRU® electronic reverse unit. The reverse unit
operates in the same manner that all reverse units function by using forward, neutral and
reverse states that are entered by turning the transformer throttle on and off or by pressing
the transformer direction switch (if so equipped).

The reverse unit is designed to ignore dirty
track, dead spots on switches or minor short
circuits without disrupting engine operation,

even at slow, prototypical speeds. Before
the engine can be operated, however, the
reverse unit plug that extends out of the
tender must be inserted into the receptacle
at the back of the boiler cab as seen in

Figure 1. Once the plug is inserted, the
throttle on the transformer can be
advanced. You will see that only the
engine’s lights will come on and on
ProtoSound equipped engines, two dings

from the sound system will chime as the
steam compressor pumps begin. This is

known as the RESET state and is explained in more detail on Page 6. The DCRU will not
power the motor until the throttle is turned OFF and then ON again. At this point, the engine
will now function like any other electronic or mechanical E-Unit. The steam engine chuffing
will begin as the engine moves and the whistle can be blown just as any normal whistle is
activated by pressing the whistle button on your transformer. See the sections later in this

guide beginning on Page 7 for more information on activating the whistle and bell sounds.
Finally, we recommend lubricating your engine before operating it to prevent any

squeaking. See the lubrication directions on Page 20.

PlugTenderPlugInto
BoilerSocketAtBackOfCab

Figure 1: Plugging In The Tender Harness

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 4

SMOKE UNIT OPERATION

The Dreyfuss contains a self-powered smoke unit that outputs a steady stream of smoke
through the smoke stack. The ON/OFF switch located under the right side of the locomotive
cab must be in the ON position in order for the smoke unit to function. See Fig. 2.

Smoke Unit

On/Off Switch

Figure 2: Smoke Unit On/Off Switch

The smoke unit is essentially a small
heating element and wick which soaks up
and then “cooks" a mineral oil-based fluid
that omits a harmless smoke. The smoke

is then forced out of the stack via a small
electric fan which runs at a constant
speed. However, the smoke intensity can
be varied by increasing the transformer
voltage setting. The higher the setting,
the more intense the smoke output.

For best results, we recommend that you add 15 - 20 drops of Seuthe, LGB or LVTS fluid

before you run the engine. If you don’t
choose to add the fluid, then the smoke

unit switch should be turned off. Failure to

either add the fluid or turn the switch off could
lead to damage to the smoke unit heating
element and or wicking. Add the fluid through
the smoke stack hole as indicated in Figure 3.

After adding the fluid, gently blow into the stack
to eliminate any air bubbles. Do not overfill the
unit as overfilling can cause the fluid to leak out
and coat the interior engine components.
When the smoke output begins to diminish

while running the engine, an additional 10-15

drops of smoke fluid should be added or the smoke unit switch should be turned off.

Figure 3: Adding Smoke Fluid

When storing the engine for long periods of time, you may want to add at least 15 drops of
fluid to keep the wick soaked with fluid and prevent it from drying out. After removing the
engine from storage, it is advisable to add another 25 drops of fluid, letting the wick soak up

the fluid for 15 minutes prior to operation.

SMOKE UNIT MAINTENANCE

CAUTION: Operating the engine without smoke fluid and with the smoke unit switch in the
ON position can damage your smoke unit wick, causing the wick to become hard,
blackened and unabsorbant around the heating element. When this occurs, it may be

difficult for the wick to soak up the smoke fluid resulting in poor or no smoke output. If that

5 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

occurs, we recommend that you inspect and/or replace the wick taking care to not run the
engine without fluid in the future. You can inspect the wick to see if it needs replacement by
removing the smoke unit inspection cover as seen in Fig. 4. After removing the screws lift
the inspection plate away and inspect the wick. If the wick is darkly discolored and hard, it
should be replaced.

NOTE: Replacement bottles of smoke fluid,
such as LGB or LVTS Fluid are available at
most hobby shops. Replacement smoke unit

PROTOSOUNDS™ OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

The MTH ProtoSound™ digital sound and train control system provides the operator with
unprecedented realistic operation on your model railroad. In addition to actual steam
CD-equivalent, 16-bit digital sounds, you get the following features, each of which is further
described on the following pages. Every feature is easily and remotely controlled from any
compatible AC transformer equipped with a whistle button. See the chart on page 25 for a
list of compatible transformers.

Built-In DCRU Reverse Unit

Authentic Bell &Whistle

Enhanced Neutral Steam Sounds

Squeaking Brake Sounds

Passenger Station Proto-Effects™

Optional Remote ProtoCoupler

Self-Recharging Battery Back-Up System

Remotely Controlled Reverse Unit

Remotely Activated Lock-Out

Remotely Adjustable Steam Chuff

Volume

Upgradeable Microprocessor Options

Smoke Unit

Circuit Board

Mounting Screws

Smoke Unit Frame

Mounting Screws

Figure 4: Inspecting the smoke wick

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 6

DCRU REVERSE UNIT OPERATION (All Models)

As mentioned in the Basic Operating section, the engine is controlled by a DCRU reverse
unit that contains the standard forward-neutral-reverse states found on most reverse units.
However, as described earlier, when power is first applied to the track, the reverse unit
begins in RESET or what seems like a neutral state. Power must be interrupted again to get
the locomotive to enter the forward state. It is this first RESET state that gives

ProtoSound™ its unique, remote controlled functions. The system will enter RESET
whenever power to the track is off for three or more seconds. NEUTRAL will be referred to

as the state between Forward and Reverse.
ProtoSounds™ is equipped with a microprocessor, that, depending on the amount of

memory it is allotted, allows the user to utilize several remotely activated functions. In the
simplest terms, ProtoSounds™ has its own “Computer" controlling these functions. In fact,
the power of this microprocessor is the same as that of a 286 desktop computer! In order to

access many of these remotely controlled functions, the user must be in the RESET state to
do so. RESET is entered anytime power to the locomotive has been off for more than 3-5
seconds. When the engine first enters RESET, the microprocessor initiates a system
check to determine if the system, transformer and engine are operating correctly. This
takes approximately 2.2 seconds during which you will hear the engine’s air compressor

start up. In order for ProtoSounds to properly initiate the system check, do not advance the
transformer throttle past 10 volts when you first enter RESET, then wait for the steam
compressor pumps to begin before slowly turning the throttle to the off position and then
back on again to enter the Forward phase. If you enter RESET at too high a voltage,
interrupt the power too soon, or move the throttle too quickly to the off position, the system

may reenter RESET (signaled by two dings of the bell). Should this happen, wait longer
before interrupting the power to enter the Forward phase.

ProtoSounds™ comes with several programmable functions including; remote steam
chuffing volume adjustment, separate bell button operation, remotely activated
Proto-Coupler, Whistle in neutral operation, enhanced neutral steam sounds, squealing

brakes and passenger station announcement sounds. Each of these features are
described in more detail later and all can be remotely activated from any compatible

standard AC transformer with a whistle button (See the chart on page 25). (Additional
features will be available at additional prices from MTH ProtoSound Electronics) You will
notice that when in RESET, your engine will not respond to the whistle button with a whistle
blast or continuous bell ringing. In fact, when in RESET and the whistle button is

depressed, only one single bell chime will be heard each time the button is pressed. This is
because the computer is awaiting programming instructions from one of the many RESET
settings. If you don’t wish to configure ProtoSounds using any of the programmable
features, simply leave RESET at this time by interrupting the power to put the engine in
forward. After you leave RESET, your engine will operate normally in all the direction states
of forward, neutral and reverse. Remember, though, once power is turned off for more than

3 seconds, the next time power is applied to the track, your engine will be back in RESET.

7 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

WHISTLE OPERATION

Your Dreyfuss engine is equipped with a digital recording of an actual steam engine
whistle. The whistle sound can be activated anytime the engine is in forward or reverse by

pressing the whistle button on your transformer. The whistle will continue to blow as long as
the whistle button is depressed. The whistle will not function in Neutral or RESET. It can,
however, be configured to operate in Neutral by accessing and programming a RESET
option. See page 16 for information on whistle programming in the section entitled “Using
RESET To Program ProtoSounds" section of this manual.

BELL OPERATION

Your Dreyfuss engine is equipped with a digital recording of an actual steam engine bell.
The bell can be turned on or off when the engine is in Forward, Neutral or Reverse from
either of two procedures; using a bell activation button, like the Lionel® Railsounds™ No.

5906 Bell Button, or by pressing your transformer whistle button when your engine is in
neutral. The bell will never function continuously in RESET. Once the bell is turned on, it

will continue to ring when the engine is cycled into forward, neutral or reverse until you turn
the bell off by pressing the bell button or by re-entering NEUTRAL and pressing the whistle
button. In fact, because of ProtoSounds™ state-of-the-art design, the microprocessor
remembers its last command. Therefore, unless you turn the bell off before you quit
running your trains, the next time you run the engine, the bell will come on. No matter
whether you come back an hour later or a year later, the bell will begin chiming once the
engine enters one of the three directional states.

TO TURN THE BELL ON OR OFF WITH A BELL BUTTON

To turn the bell on, turn on power to the track and cycle the engine into Forward, Neutral
or Reverse. Press the bell button to activate the bell sounds. To turn off the bell sounds,
press the bell button a second time. If the bell button doesn’t activate the bell, check that it is
correctly wired up to the track and transformer as indicated in Figure 8 on page 16.
TO TURN THE BELL ON OR OFF WITH A WHISTLE BUTTON
Turn on track power and cycle the engine into the Neutral state. Turn the throttle to 8 volts
or less (any higher voltage will arm the ProtoCoupler) and press the whistle button. The bell
should begin chiming. To turn the bell off, press the whistle button again. If you want to
keep the bell on while running the engine, simply interrupt the power with the transformer
throttle or the transformer directional switch and enter forward or reverse. To turn the bell
off, reenter Neutral, setting the transformer voltage at eight volts or less and press the
whistle button. The bell should stop ringing. Remember if you don’t have a separate bell
button controller, you must be in Neutral to turn the bell on or off.

DCRU MANUAL LOCKOUT (Engines w/o ProtoSound)

Engines not equipped with ProtoSounds can be manually locked into Forward, Neutral or
Reverse by sliding the lockout switch to the “OFF” position after entering the desired
reverse unit state (See Figure 7 on page 14). To operate the engine in automatic mode
again, simply slide the switch back to the “ON” position. NOTE: Once the unit is locked out
and an hour or more of non-use has past, the reverse unit may cycle into any of the three

states. The on/off switch should be reset to the ON position to regain normal operation.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 8

SQUEAKING BRAKE SOUNDS

ProtoSounds is now equipped with operator controlled squeaking brake sounds. Once
activated, this easy to use feature plays the sound of squeaking brakes whenever the
transformer throttle is reduced from high voltage to low voltage simulating the application of
the brakes as you enter curves or slow down for crossings and passenger stations. The
sound itself is a stored record on the ProtoSounds software chip and will always play the

same brake sound for the same 3 second length each time you reduce the voltage from
high to low.

ACTIVATING AND TRIGGERING THE SQUEAKING BRAKE SOUNDS

Before the brake squeaking can be heard, ProtoSounds must be activated for the brake
sound feature. The brake sound feature can be activated in two ways.

Option 1: If you are using a separate bell button controller to ring your bell (like the Lionel

Railsounds No. 5906 bell activation button) you can activate the squealing brake feature
by pressing and holding the bell button for three seconds or longer (it doesn’t matter if

you are in forward, neutral or reverse). You will hear the bell chiming turn on and if you
listen carefully you should hear an air release sound after three seconds have passed at
which time you can release the bell button. (Note: because the air release sound is hard

to hear, we recommend that you count out a full three seconds before releasing the bell
button.) The bell will continue to chime, so if you want to turn off the bell ringing, simply

press and release the bell button a second time. If you were in neutral when you
triggered the brake feature, interrupt the transformer throttle to enter either forward or

reverse to allow the engine to begin running. (Note: the brake sound will only be

activated in the first direction state you enter after triggering the feature from the neutral
position. You cannot interrupt the power twice to enter another direction state and still
have the brake feature active.) Once your engine begins running, you can activate the

brake sounds by reducing the transformer voltage from a high setting to a low setting.

Option 2 If you do not have a separate bell button on your layout, you can still activate the

brake sound feature with your transformer whistle button. To activate the brake feature
turn on the transformer throttle and get your engine into the neutral position (not
RESET). Once in neutral, set the transformer throttle at 8 volts or less and press and
hold the whistle button for at least three seconds. You will hear the bell chiming turn on
and if you listen carefully you should hear an air release sound after three seconds have
passed at which time you can release the whistle button. (Note: because the air release

sound is hard to hear, we recommend that you count out a full three seconds before
releasing the whistle button.) The bell will continue to chime, so if you want to turn off the

bell ringing, simply press and release the bell button a second time. Interrupt the
transformer throttle to enter either forward or reverse to allow the engine to begin

running. (

Note:

the brake sound will only be activated in the first direction state you enter
after triggering the feature from the neutral position. You cannot interrupt the power
twice to enter another direction state and still have the brake feature active.) Once your

engine begins running, you can activate the brake sounds by reducing the transformer
voltage from a high setting to a low setting.

9 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

Note:

Once the brake feature is activated and the engine is running, it is possible that the
brake sounds may not occur if the transformer throttle setting is not set high enough before
throttling down. We recommend that after activating the brake feature, you run the engine
at no less than 14 volts before throttling down to approximately 8 volts or less to ensure that
the brake sounds occur.

Note: After activating the brake feature, whenever you stop the engine by either turning the

transformer throttle off or by entering neutral, the brake feature becomes disabled and must
be reactivated using either of the two methods above.

Note:

If the brake feature is activated using method number 1 from either forward or
reverse and you interrupt the throttle to enter neutral and leave the throttle on, you may
activate another ProtoSound feature in this engine; Passenger Station Announcement.
See the section later in this manual on Passenger Station Announcement.

TIPS ON USING THE SQUEAKING BRAKE FEATURE

Because the squeaking brake feature always plays for approximately 3 seconds, it is
possible that the brake sounds will play longer or shorter than what visually seems
prototypical. You will find that by practicing with the brake feature, you can quickly
determine how quickly to throttle down and what speeds and voltage settings give you the
most prototypical braking effect.

Typical users will find the feature to be a very realistic way to simulate the sound of an
engine slowing down for curves, crossings or coming to a stop at a station, side track or
switch yard. As mentioned above, you will find that initially your engine may continue to
play the brake sounds once your engine comes to a stop or that the sounds stop
prematurely before the engine comes to a complete halt. For example, if you simply run the

engine and turn the throttle off quickly, the brake sounds will likely continue playing even
though the engine has come to a complete stop. This annoying effect can be eliminated by
simply practicing with the brake feature. In no time, you will quickly learn how to “feather"
the throttle to keep the engine moving while the brake sounds play and then turning the
throttle off just as the sounds stop. Remember that once you stop the engine, you should
turn the throttle to the off position if you don’t want to activate the Freight Yard Sounds

feature described later in this manual.

PASSENGER STATION ANNOUNCEMENT (PFA)

ProtoSounds is now equipped with operator controlled passenger station
announcements, hereby known as PFA. This easy to use feature plays digitally
reproduced passenger station sounds whenever your engine stops at a train station on
your layout. No additional wires or modifications are needed on your layout to enjoy these
amazing sound effects. The sounds themselves are randomly generated and randomly
“shuffled” on the ProtoSounds software chip. This gives the system the ability to produce
different sounds in a different order each time the PFA feature is enabled. These different
sounds are heard each time you cycle the transformer throttle from on to off in the same
manner that you would cycle the throttle to enter the various states of forward, neutral and
reverse. The entire PFA sequence is designed to simulate the arrival, disembarking,
embarking, and departure of a train entering and leaving a train station. The sounds include
public address arrival and departure messages, passenger disembarking and embarking

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 10

sounds, conductor voices and general train station ambient sounds. Each is described in
more detail in the following sections.

ACTIVATING AND TRIGGERING PASSENGER STATION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Before PFA can be heard the feature must be activated first. Activation is accomplished by
holding down the bell button for three or more seconds as described in the Activating and
Triggering The Squeaking Brake Sounds section found earlier on page 8.

Once the squealing brake feature is activated, PFA will be played the next time the engine
enters the neutral position. In order for PFA to begin, power must remain on once the
engine enters the neutral position. At this point ProtoSounds has taken over control of your
engine and disabled the bell and whistle buttons from any further operator functions. In
addition, ProtoSounds has reconfigured the way the DCRU reverse unit functions by

disabling the reverse unit state during operation of the PFA feature. This forces the engine
to leave your station in the same direction it arrived. The following operator controlled

“events” control PFA’s actions and sounds.

Event 1 (Forward) While the locomotive is running in forward (or reverse) PFA is activated

by the operator pushing and holding the bell button down for three or more seconds. The
locomotive bell begins chiming and can be left on or turned off without disabling PFA.

Event 2 (Neutral Before Reverse) The operator now interrupts the transformer throttle to

stop the engine and put it into neutral. If the throttle setting was at 14 volts or higher,
ProtoSounds will play the sound of squealing brakes as the engine comes to a stop.

I. Upon stopping of the engine, the operator must immediately turns the throttle back on
as the engine sits in neutral. If the bell was not turned off after activating PFA, it now
turns off automatically.

Note:

Failure to turn the throttle back on within 3 seconds of leaving the forward phase
will disable PFA and shutdown ProtoSounds. The next time you turn power back on
your engine will be in the RESET position. See page 6 for more information.

II. After entering neutral, ProtoSounds will immediately play an air release sound
followed approximately two seconds later by an arrival message. The arrival message
lists the train by name and the track it arrived on (the track is identified as either track 1

or track 2, alternating each time during the current operating session). Immediately
following the arrival message, the sound of the trains’ doors opening can be heard,

followed by a conductor’s warning to passengers to “watch your step.” At this point,
various randomly activated ambient train stations sounds will begin playing and
replaying as long as the engine sits in this neutral state (Neutral Before Reverse). The
sounds include passenger footsteps as they disembark, muffled voices, baggage being

moved about, crashing sound, and whistling for a taxi. In addition, several highlight or
foreground sounds play including more conductor voices saying “watch your step”,
“have a nice day”, and “baggage to the right”.

11 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

Event 3 (Reverse)

The operator now interrupts the transformer throttle again to enter
the next reverse unit phase; reverse. In an effort to enhance realism, PFA has disabled
the reverse phase so that it doesn’t power the motors and cause the engine to move
backward. Upon entering reverse, PFA confirms to the operator that it has entered the

reverse state by immediately playing the highlight sound of the conductor’s voice saying
“baggage to the right.” This is followed by the continued ambient sounds of passenger
footsteps, muffled voices, baggage being moved about, crashing sound and whistling
for a taxi. These sounds and the conductor highlight are randomly repeated as long as
the system remains in the “reverse” state.

Event 4 (Neutral Before Forward) The operator now interrupts the transformer throttle

again to enter the next reverse unit phase; neutral before reverse. PFA confirms to the
operator that it has entered the neutral before forward phase by emmitting two quick air
release sounds. This is followed by a public address message that the train on track 1 or
2 (whichever track number the arriving public address message stated) is now
boarding. Upon completion of the PA message, two conductor voice highlights
randomly begin playing. These conductor voices include “Welcome Aboard” and
“Tickets Please”. In addition to the two conductor highlights, the station ambient sounds

continue and still include passenger footsteps, muffled voices, baggage being moved
about, crashing sound and whistling for a taxi. The departing public address message
automatically repeats itself every 60 seconds with the highlights and station ambient
sounds randomly occurring as long as the system remains in the “neutral before
forward” phase.

Event 5. (Forward) The operator now interrupts the transformer throttle again to enter
the next reverse unit phase; forward. PFA confirms to the operator that it has entered
the forward phase by playing a conductor voice yelling “All Aboard!” Immediately after
playing “all aboard”, the sound of the doors closing is heard. Within two seconds of the
doors closing, the locomotive bell begins chiming and the air compressor pumps start.
After approximately 7 chimes of the bell, the engine automatically begins moving out in

the forward phase with the bell continuing to ring another 7 chimes before automatically
turning off. Once the bell turns off the operator regains control of the transformer whistle
and bell buttons and can ring the bell or blow the whistle as usual.

Note:

When entering the forward phase of PFA, it is important to set the transformer

throttle at a high enough setting that will allow the engine to begin moving once PFA
automatically activates the motors. Otherwise, the engine will just sit still until you

increase the throttle setting on the transformer.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 12

TIPS ON USING THE PFA FEATURES

PFA is a unique feature of ProtoSounds that is completely controlled by the operator. You
decide how, when or if you want to utilize the feature. By reviewing following tips you should
find solutions or suggestions to the various operating scenarios you might encounter when
using PFA.

Tip #1: You can escape the PFA sequence by interrupting the transformer throttle

before the first PA arrival message plays in Event 2 (neutral before reverse).

Tip #2: You can terminate PFA at anytime by turning the transformer throttle off for 15

seconds.

Tip #3: You do not have to be in the forward state to utilize PFA. For example if you

activate the PFA feature while in reverse and interrupt the throttle to enter neutral, you
will be entering neutral before forward rather than neutral before reverse as defined in
Event 2 above. Consequently, the forward phase will be rendered inactive by
ProtoSounds instead of the reverse state as explained in Event 3. This will allow your
train to leave the train station in the same reverse direction that it arrived in.

Tip #4: You can utilize PFA even if you are double-heading with another engine,

regardless of whether it is equipped with ProtoSounds or PFA. If the engine isn’t
equipped with PFA, the only thing to remember is that you not turn up the transformer
throttle very high when entering the reverse state found in Event 3. If the throttle is set
too high, then the second locomotive will begin vibrating on the track as its motors will be
turning in the reverse state since engines not equipped with PFA cannot disable the
reverse state and will thus continue powering their own motors. If your second engine is
equipped with PFA, it can be disabled by entering RESET function 28. See the section
on programming RESET functions on page 17 of this manual to disable PFA.

Tip #5: It is not necessary for the squealing brake sounds to be heard to play the PFA
sounds. For example, the brake sounds won’t be heard if the high voltage setting is

below 13 volts and the power is interrupted to enter the neutral state.

Tip #6: You can leave any of the event states at any time after entering the state by

simply interrupting the transformer throttle. Any sound effects programmed to play in
that event will simply not occur. The only exception is Event 2 and Event 5. In Event 2,
interrupting the throttle has no affect on PFA until after the PA arrival message has

played and the doors have opened. In Event 5, you cannot interrupt PFA until after the
engine begins to move. Interrupting the throttle before the engine begins to move has
no affect on the locomotive.

13 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

OPTIONAL PROTO-COUPLER OPERATION

Your Dreyfuss locomotive can be upgraded with coil-wound ProtoCouplers™ which can
be mounted on the tender and locomotive for remote controlled coupler operation. (See
your MTH or RailKing dealer) Because it is controlled through ProtoSound’s
microprocessor, it doesn’t require an uncoupling track section or modification to your layout
to function. The ProtoCoupler can be activated with any compatible standard AC

transformer equipped with a whistle button. For a list of compatible transformers, see the
chart on page 25. Once installed, the three simple steps below are required to operate the

coupler.
A. Put your engine in NEUTRAL and turn the throttle all the way up.

B. Press the whistle button on your transformer to “Arm" the coupler.
C. After arming the coupler, press the whistle button again to open the coupler.

SELF-RECHARGING BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM

ProtoSounds™ state-of-the-art design includes a self-recharging battery backup system
for improved performance at any speed. There are no switches to turn on or off to enjoy the
benefits of the automatic battery backup system as this feature is automatically activated
whenever track power is turned on. The battery ensures that power to the sound system

will not be interrupted during directional changes, setting RESET options, or when traveling
over dirty track and switches. You will know the backup system is operating as sound will
no longer abruptly shut off whenever a momentary interruption in track power occurs.

ProtoSounds contains a warning alarm if the battery backup system fails to automatically
turn off when power to the track is turned off. You will hear a repeating whistle blast

indicating that the backup system hasn’t turned off. Should this occur, you will need to
unplug the battery from the ProtoSound module to prevent the battery from being run down.

Lubricate

Coupler
Knuckle

Figure 5: Lubricating Optional ProtoCoupler Knuckle

When the knuckle fires open you will
hear the buzzing of the coil energizing
and the sound of the air lines coming
apart. It can best be described as a
CHA-CHUSHHH sound. Once the

coupler is armed it can be fired in
Forward, Neutral or Reverse. However,
you may find that the coupler doesn’t
open when firing the coupler at high
speeds or high voltage settings. Reduce
the voltage setting on your transformer if

this occurs and run your engine at a
slower speed before firing the coupler. If
the coupler continues to open erratically,
try lubricating the coupler knuckle with

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 14

PROTOSOUND™ VOLUME ADJUSTMENT

Your ProtoSound system has two types of volume adjustment. A manual turn knob on the
bottom of the tender chassis (See Fig. 6) allows you to control all the sounds in the system

and a remote control “RESET" option allows you to control the volume level of the steam
engine chuffing sounds remotely from the transformer. Turning the volume adjustment
knob clockwise will increase the volume and counterclockwise will lower the volume of all
sounds; bell, whistle, steam chugging sounds, enhanced neutral sounds and others. For

instructions on operating the RESET volume adjustment option, see the section entitled
“Using RESET to Program ProtoSounds" on the following pages.

REPLACING THE PROTOSOUND BATTERY

The battery, located in the engine’s tender (see Figure 10 on page 20 for the location

of the tender mounting screws), is a rechargeable NiCad type which is continually
charged from the track when power is applied. NiCad batteries are a dry battery and
should not leak or cause any damage to your locomotive and will last up to five years or

longer.
If you notice that the sounds seem distorted or garbled at low voltages or become silent

when power from the transformer is shut off, the battery may be going bad. Before
replacing the battery, you should put the engine in NEUTRAL and leave the transformer
throttle at about 12 volts for fifteen minutes. This should temporarily recharge the battery. If
the garbled or distorted sounds are reduced, then your battery charge has worn down. You
can give your battery a full charge by leaving the engine ON in NEUTRAL for 16 to 18 hours.
(Make sure the smoke unit switch is in the OFF position to prevent harm to the smoke unit)

If you need to replace the ProtoSound™ battery, it is a special NiCad 7-cell, 8.4v battery ­NOT the 6-cell, 7.2v battery found in most convenience stores. The 6-cell NiCad is NOT

recommended for use with ProtoSound™ applications. Replacement ProtoSound™
batteries are available from MTH ProtoSound Electronics at 9693-A Gerwig Lane,
Columbia, MD 21046. A standard 9v alkaline battery can be substituted as a temporary fix,
but since alkaline batteries can’t take a charge, it will eventually wear down. Regardless, it
should give you a week to a couple of months use while you wait for your replacement

ProtoSound™ battery to arrive.

ProtoSound Manual

Volume Adjustment Knob

Reverse Unit

Lockout Switch

Figure 6: Adjusting The ProtoSound Volume

15 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

USING “RESET” TO PROGRAM PROTOSOUNDS™

As mentioned earlier, there are several programmable options in each
ProtoSound-equipped engine that can be remotely set from any compatible standard
transformer equipped with a whistle button. For a list of compatible transformers, see the
chart on page 25. This hands-off approach gives you unprecedented control of your
railroad empire’s motive power never seen before in model railroading. Each
programmable feature can be accessed whenever your engine is in the RESET state as
described in the section entitled “DCRU Reverse Unit Operation" found earlier on page 6.
By following the instructions below you will find the programming easy and straight
forward.

ENTERING RESET OPTIONS

While ProtoSound™ is equipped with only a few programmable features, additional
memory chips can be obtained to “Upgrade" the system in the future. Programmable
features are accessed in the RESET state by moving the transformer throttle up and down
between full voltage and low voltage (6 to 8 volts) without shutting the transformer off

completely. Each time this is done you advance, one feature at a time, through the
available options. An air-release sound is heard each time the throttle is advanced. In
addition, there are special sounds to tell you what RESET position you are in.

For example, if you want to select Feature 2 (an optional memory feature that sets an ID
number on your engine), you put the engine in RESET, and move the throttle up and down
from full throttle to low two times. After the second advance, you will hear two “clinks"
indicating that the computer is now in Feature 2. Advance the throttle again and you will
hear three “clinks" for Feature 3. Advance it two more times and you will hear a “clank"
indicating that you are now in Feature 5. Advance the throttle two more times and you will
hear a “clank" and two “clinks" indicating Feature 7. ((5 throttle advancements = 1 clank) +
(2 throttle advancements = 2 clinks). “Clank + “Clink" + “Clink" = Feature 7). You can
advance the throttle as quickly as you like (though you may not hear the air-release sounds)
and the computer will still remember the number of times the throttle is advanced by playing
back the number of “Clinks" and “Clanks" to confirm the feature you’ve selected.

SETTING THE STEAM CHUFFING VOLUME

Of all the sounds that come with each ProtoSound-equipped steam locomotive, the one
most often turned down is that of the steam chuffing volume because it is the one sound

normally heard whenever the engine is running and is what usually can become tiresome to
the ear over prolonged running sessions. The volume adjustment is controlled through
RESET Feature 6.

To access the feature, turn on your transformer throttle to put the engine in RESET. Move
the throttle up and down as described above 6 times. After you hear the “clank" and “clink"

indicating that you are in Feature 6, press the whistle button to select the steam chuffing
volume level you desire. Pushing the whistle button once will give you full steam chuffing
volume, which is the factory setting. Pushing the whistle button a second time will give you

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 16

50% steam chuffing volume, pushing it a third time will give you 25% steam chuffing volume
and pushing it a fourth time will give you no steam chuffing sounds. The microprocessor will
immediately play the sound level each time the whistle button is pushed so that you can
decide if it is acceptable. You can recycle through the four choices by simply continuing to
press the whistle button.

Once you have decided on the appropriate volume level, turn the transformer throttle off
and on again or press the transformer direction switch to lock in your selection. The volume
adjustment will remain set at the level you have chosen until you change it again.

Regardless of the steam chuffing volume setting, the whistle, bell, steam compressor
pumps and enhanced neutral sounds will function normally. In fact because only the steam
chuffing volume is affected by selections in Feature 6, when you select 0 steam chuffing
volume, you will still hear the compressor sounds when the engine is running. Don’t
confuse these sounds with the steam engine chuffing sounds.

PROGRAMMING FOR A SEPARATE BELL BUTTON CONTROLLER

To operate ProtoSounds with a separate
bell button controller, you will need to wire

up the controller to your transformer and
track as per the instructions in Fig. 8.

Once the bell button is wired, you can use
the bell button to activate the bell in
forward, netural or reverse. If the bell
doesn’t operate and is wired up correctly,
you will need to program the ProtoSound

module to operate with a bell button. To
do this, enter RESET and go to Feature

20. (See the section “Entering RESET
Options" on page 15.) Once in Feature 20, press the whistle button and wait for the module
to sound a bell ding(s). Continue pushing the whistle button until the module plays back one

ding (signifying that the module has been programmed for a bell button). Simply turn the
throttle off and then on again to “Lock-In" the new setting. You can also use Feature 18 to

reset to its original factory (default) setting (separate bell button operation).
PROGRAMMING FOR WHISTLE IN NEUTRAL OPERATION

If you want to blow your whistle when your engine is in neutral, you will need to program
ProtoSounds to do so as the factory setting only allows the whistle to blow in forward or
neutral. To do this, enter RESET and go to Feature 25. (See the section entitled “Entering
RESET Options" on page 15). Once in Feature 25, press the transformer whistle button and
wait for ProtoSounds to sound a bell ding(s). Continue pressing the whistle button until

ProtoSounds sounds two bell dings (signifying that ProtoSounds has been programmed to
sound the whistle in neutral). Turn the throttle off and then on again to “Lock-In" your

selection. Now, whenever you are in neutral, you can blow the whistle with the transformer
whistle button. To reset ProtoSounds to its original factory setting of no whistle in neutral,

PowerTerminal

Wire(black)

CenterRail

Wire(red)

OutsideTrack
Wire(ground)

Figure 8: Wiring Up A Bell Button Controller

17 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

repeat the above procedure but keep pressing the whistle button in Feature 25 until
ProtoSounds only dings once instead of twice.

Note: If you didn’t set the “Separate Bell Button Operation" in Feature 20 before setting the
“Whistle In Neutral" option, then your bell will not function until you set the “Separate Bell
Button" option. In addition, when “Whistle In Neutral" is set, the whistle will not sound in
neutral if the transformer throttle setting is over 11 volts. At 11 volts or higher, ProtoSounds
may arm the ProtoCoupler for operation whenever the whistle button is pressed and the

engine is in neutral.

PROGRAMMING FOR OPTIONAL PROTOCOUPLER OPERATION

ProtoSounds now comes with a new RESET feature that allows the operator to remotely
turn off the ProtoCoupler coil coupler functions. This is especially useful when double or

triple-heading ProtoSound equipped engines since every engine equipped with a
ProtoCoupler will fire when prompted to by the operator. By turning off the ProtoCoupler
operation on certain engines, you can fire the couplers open on the other engines without
uncoupling the engines from each other. To turn the ProtoCoupler function off, enter
RESET and go to Feature 10. (See the section on “Entering RESET Options" on page 15).

Once in Feature 10, press the transformer whistle button and wait for ProtoSound to sound
a bell ding(s). Continue pressing the whistle button until ProtoSounds sounds two bell
dings (signifying that the ProtoCoupler option has been turned off). Simply turn the
transformer throttle off and then on again to lock in the new setting. To Reset ProtoSounds
to its original factory setting of ProtoCoupler on, repeat the above procedure but keep
pressing the whistle button in Feature 10 until ProtoSounds only dings once instead of

twice.

PROGRAMMING FOR SQUEAKING BRAKES AND PFA OPERATION

ProtoSounds is equipped with a RESET setting to turn off the Squealing Brakes and
Passenger Station Sounds (PFA) features. This is especially useful if you are

double-heading engines that are both equipped with PFA. You wouldn’t want to stop in a
freight yard and have both engines initiate their PFA sounds. To turn off Squeaking Brakes
and PFA (you cannot turn off one or the other), enter RESET and go to Feature 28. (See the
section on “Entering RESET Options" on page 15). Once in Feature 28, press the

transformer whistle button and wait for ProtoSounds to sound a bell ding(s). Continue
pressing the whistle button until ProtoSounds sounds two bell dings (signifying that the
Squeaking Brakes and PFA have been turned off). Simply turn the transformer throttle off
and then on again to lock in the new setting. To reset ProtoSounds to its original factory
setting of Squeaking Brakes and PFA on, repeat the above procedure but keep pressing
the whistle button in Feature 28 until ProtoSounds only dings once instead of twice.

ACTIVATING REMOTE LOCK-OUT CONTROL

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 18

ProtoSound equipped engines feature a RESET setting that allows the operator to
remotely “lock” the engine into forward, neutral or reverse. This is especially useful on
layouts that feature “blocked” track sections. The lockout feature comes from the factory in

the OFF position, meaning it is not active when you first take the engine out of the box. This
is done to prevent novice operators from accidentally locking their engines into forward,
neutral or reverse and then mistakingly thinking that the engine’s electronics have failed.
To activate the Remote Lockout Control setting, go to RESET Feature 40 (see the section
entitled “Entering RESET Options” on page 15). Once in Feature 40, press the transformer

whistle button and wait for ProtoSounds to soun a bell ding. Continue pressing the whistle
button until ProtoSounds sounds two bell dings signifying that the Remote Lockout Control
has been selected. To lock in the setting, simply turn the throttle all the way off and then
back on again. To turn the Remote Lockout Control setting back off, go back to Feature 40
and press the whistle button until only one bell ding sounds. To lock in the setting, simply
turn the transformer throttle off and then back on again. Alternatively, you can go to RESET

Feature 18 to reset all ProtoSound Features back to their original factory default settings,
including Remote Lockout Control.

RESETTING ALL PROTOSOUND OPTIONS TO FACTORY DEFAULTS

ProtoSounds is equipped with a RESET feature (Feature 18) that resets all
programmable options back to their original factory settings. This is a useful feature if you
find your engine not operating the way you think it should and don’t want to take the time to
check each RESET Feature one at a time. To reset all the RESET Features back to their
original factory settings, enter RESET and go to Feature 18. (See the section entitled

“Entering Reset Options" found on page 15). Once in Feature 18, press the transformer
whistle button and wait for ProtoSounds to sound a garbled bell sound. Simply turn the

transformer throttle off and then on again to lock in the setting and reset all the options back
to their original factory settings.

19 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

REVERSE UNIT LOCK-OUT OPERATION

ProtoSound’s unique design eliminates the need for a lock-out switch on the locomotive
by allowing the customer to lock the engine into any directional state (forward, neutral or
reverse) from the transformer. This will allow users to run the engine on layouts equipped
with block signals or stop stations which would normally cycle the engine back into neutral.
The feature must be first turned on by accessing RESET Feature 40 (See page 17).

LOCKING THE ENGINE INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE

To lock the engine into Forward or Reverse, use the transformer throttle to enter Forward or
Reverse (whichever state you want to lock the engine into) and while the engine is moving
press the whistle button.

WHILE THE WHISTLE IS BLOWING TURN THE THROTTLE OFF AND

THEN LET GO OF THE WHISTLE BUTTON. After about one second, you will hear a short horn

blast.

QUICKLY TURN THE THROTTLE BACK ON AGAIN.

Your engine is now locked into

Forward or Reverse and it will remain so until you unlock the engine, even if you wait a year
to run your engine again.

UNLOCKING THE ENGINE

Unlocking the engine is a similar procedure.

WHILE THE ENGINE IS MOVING, PRESS THE

WHISTLE BUTTON. WHILE THE WHISTLE IS BLOWING, TURN THE THROTTLE OFF AND THEN LET
GO OF THE WHISTLE BUTTON. After three seconds without power you will hear one chime of

the RESET bell. TURN ON THE POWER AGAIN. Your engine is now in RESET and will operate
normally once you interrupt power and enter the forward direction.

LOCKING THE ENGINE INTO NEUTRAL

To lock the engine into the NEUTRAL position, PUT THE ENGINE IN NEUTRAL AND WITH THE

THROTTLE STILL ON, PRESS THE WHISTLE BUTTON. WHILE THE WHISTLE BUTTON IS BEING
PRESSED, TURN OFF THE THROTTLE AND LET GO OF THE WHISTLE BUTTON.

After about one

second, you will hear a short blast of the horn.

QUICKLY TURN THE POWER BACK ON AGAIN.

Your engine is now locked into NEUTRAL.

NOTE: When locking the engine in the Forward or Reverse positions, the whistle button will
blow the horn. But when locking the engine into the NEUTRAL position, the whistle button
may turn on or off sounds of the bell, coupler arming or coupler firing depending on the
transformer throttle voltage settings prior to the user’s attempt to lock out the engine.

Remember, the whistle doesn’t blow in NEUTRAL (unless you programmed it to do so
using Feature 25. See page 16 for details), only the bell rings or the coupler operates in

NEUTRAL. While it doesn’t make any difference on how the lockout function operates, you
may hear one of the three different NEUTRAL-activated sounds.

To unlock the engine from the NEUTRAL position, follow the process to unlock the engine

in the Forward or Reverse directions above.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 20

OIL & LUBRICATION INSTRUCTIONS

In order for the engine to perform correctly and quietly, it is important that both the
locomotive and tender be lubricated before operation. Lubrication should include all
side-rods and linkage components to prevent them from squeaking. Use light household

oil and follow the lubrication points marked “L" in Fig. 8 above. In addition to the locomotive,
the tender axles should receive a drop of oil where each axle enters the truck side frame.

The locomotive gearing has been greased at the factory and shouldn’t need additional
grease until after 50 hours of operation or one year whichever comes first. Grease can be

added by inserting grease into the gear box inside the chassis. In order to access the gear
box, the boiler must be removed from the chassis by unscrewing the four chassis screws as

seen in Figure 8 above. Once the boiler is removed, the gear box can be opened by
unscrewing the two screws on the plate located in front of the motor. Grease can then be
applied into gear box with a grease tube dispenser.

Periodically, check the locomotive and tender wheels for dirt build-up as this can
significantly affect the engine’s ability to perform properly. Dirty track and dirty wheels can

cause both poor electrical contact and poor traction especially on elevated track sections.
Finally, dirt and oil build-up can prematurely wear out the neoprene rubber traction tires.

Tender Body

Mounting Screws

L

L

Figure 9: Lubricate The Tender Chassis Trucks Where The Axle Enters The Side Frame

L

L

L

G-(Grease)

FrontChassis

MountingScrews

RearChassis
MountingScrews

Figure 8: Lubricating The Locomotive Chassis

21 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

TRACTION TIRE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Your Dreyfuss locomotive is equipped with two neoprene rubber traction tires. While
these tires are extremely durable and long-lasting there may arise a time where they will
need to be replaced. Should this occur, you will need to remove the main side rod on the
6-wheel drive train in order to slip the new tire over the wheel.

Before the new tire can be installed, you must make sure the old tire has been completely
removed from the groove in the drive wheel. Use a razor blade or small flatblade
screwdriver to pry the old tire remains from the groove. Once the old tire has been
completely removed, slip the new tire between the main side rod and the wheel and stretch
it over the wheel. You may find it useful to use two small flatblade screwdrivers to assist you
in stretching the tire over the wheel. Be careful to avoid twisting the tire when stretching it
over the wheel. If a twist occurs, the tire will have to be removed and reinstalled or a
noticeable wobble in your engine will occur when operating the locomotive. In addition, it is
important to make sure that the tire is fully seated inside the groove. Any portion of the tire
extending out of the groove can cause the engine to wobble. A razor blade can be used to
trim away any excess tire that doesn’t seat itself inside the groove properly. Once the new
tire is in place, screw the main side rod Hex screw back in place and operate as usual.

HEADLI GHT BULB REMOVAL & REPLACEMENT

The headlight in the locomotive can be removed should it need to be replaced.
Replacements are available through MTH Electric Trains. Each bulb has a
quick/disconnect plug that attaches the bulb harness to a circuit board. The boiler headlight
is accessed by removing the boiler from the chassis. Removal of the boiler is accomplished

by removing the boiler screws as seen in Figure 10. Once the boiler is removed, the
headlight bulb can be located on the smoke unit assembly and can be removed by
unscrewing the bulb. Replace the bulb and reassemble in the opposite order.

Rear Chassis
Mounting Screws

Front Chassis

Mounting Screws

Figure 10: Removing The Boiler From The Chassis

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 22

TROUBLE SHOOTING PROTOSOUND™ PROBLEMS

Although ProtoSounds has been designed and engineered for ease of use, some
questions may arise during initial operation. The following table should answer most
questions. If you find that your problem can’t be resolved with this manual, contact MTH
ProtoSound Electronics (9693-A Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD 21046) for additional
assistance.

COUPLER PROBLEMS REMEDY

The ProtoCoupler won't let the
engine uncouple on the "Fly".

WHISTLE PROBLEMS

BELL PROBLEMS

REMEDY

REMEDY

The whistle seems distorted at low
voltages

When I press the whistle button to acti­vate the bell, the whistle sounds.

When I press the whistle button, the
bell comes on instead.

I can't get the whistle to blow when I
press the whistle button.

I can't get the bell to ring when I press
the whistle button.

The bell won't work with a separate
bell button.

I can't get the coupler to arm or fire
open when I press the whistle button.

When I press the whistle button to acti­vate the bell, I arm the coupler

When I press the whistle button to acti­vate the bell, the bell only rings once.

Your battery may be undercharged or dead. Try recharging the battery as
explained on page 14.

You are trying to ring the bell in Forward or Reverse, the bell only operates in Neutral
unless you have programmed ProtoSounds to recognize a separate bell button

You are trying to operate the whistle in Neutral. The whistle will only operate in
Forward or Reverse unless you program ProtoSounds through Feature 25. See the
programming instructions starting on page 15.

You may be pressing the whistle button too quickly. Most older AC Transformers
contain a two-step whistle button that releases a DC signal onto the track. It is this

DC signal that tells the whistle to blow. However, because the signal is weaker
when the whistle button is depressed fully, the ProtoSound circuit may not recognize
the signal. Try pushing the button slower, taking approximately 1 second to fully

depress the button.

You may be pressing the whistle button too quickly. See the the third remedy in the
horn section above.

ProtoSounds must be programmed in order for a separate bell button to function.
Enter RESET function No. 20 (See the section "Using RESET To Program ProtoSounds"
on page 15) and press the whistle button until the unit sounds two bell dings. Simply
turn the throttle off and then on again to lock in the new setting.

You may be pressing the whistle button too quickly. See the third remedy in the
horn section above. Another possibility is that ProtoSounds has been programmed
to turn the coupler function off. See the section "Programming For Optional
ProtoCoupler Operation" on page 17.

Reduce the voltage on the transformer before pressing the whistle button to
activate the bell. The bell will only come on at 8 volts or less.

You are trying to ring the bell in "Reset" instead of neutral. Interrupt the power twice
to enter Neutral, set the voltage at 8 volts and press the whistle button to ring bell.

The power required to fire the coupler open when the engine is on the "Fly" may be
greater than the ProtoSound system is capable of providing. As a result, you may
experience times when the coupler won't fire open. Unfortunately, the only solution

is to stop the engine and fire the coupler in NEUTRAL rather than in Forward or
Reverse. If that doesn't resolve the problem, try lubricating the coupler knuckle and
rivet with light oil. See the coupler lubrication instructions on Page 13.

ENHANCED STEAM SOUNDS REMEDY

Sometimes the enhanced sounds
don't play.

The enhanced steam sounds only occur in neutral. You may be in RESET when you
are expecting the sounds to play.

23 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

VOLUME PROBLEMS

LOCK-OUT PROBLEMS

BATTERY PROBLEMS

RESET PROBLEMS

REMEDY

REMEDY

REMEDY

REMEDY

When I try to run the engine, the steam
chuffing volume is OFF or very low.

I can't get the engine to run after I
power up the transformer. It sits still
with the steam compressor running.

I get no sounds when the engine
shifts between the directional states.

When I first turn the power ON, the
engine will not begin to run. I have

to turn the throttle off and then on
again to get the engine to operate.

Whenever I interrupt the power from
RESET to enter Forward, the engine
goes back into RESET instead. I know
this because the bell dings twice.

When I try to set the chuffing
volume, it resets itself to the original

volume after I select the new
volume.

When I try to set the chuffing volume
to 0 Volume, I still hear the steam
compressor sounds.

The engine won't lockout into
Forward, Neutral or Reverse even

after the short whistle blast sounds.

After I turn Off my transformer, my
engine continues to make
compressor sounds before quitting
with a ding of its belll.

The sounds distort at low voltages.

The chuffing volume has been programmed at a reduced volume or to be silent.
Go to "Reset" Feature 6 and adjust the volume. See the Chuffing Volume section on
Page 15.

The engine is Locked-Out into the neutral position. Follow the unlocking procedure
on page 19.

The battery may be dead or needs charging. See the Battery Backup section on
page 13.

This is normal behavior. When power to the track is first turned on, ProtoSounds
enters a "RESET" phase at which time the engine undergoes a system check. Power

must be interrupted to get the engine into the forward phase. Refer to the
instructions on page 6.

Whenever ProtoSounds enters RESET after power has been off for more than 15
seconds, the microprocessor initiates a self-check to determine that everything is in
working order. This self-check requires 2.2 seconds to complete during which time
the engine will play the diesel start up sounds. We recommend that you don't
interrupt power in RESET until the diesel start up sounds have been completed. This
always takes longer than 2.2 seconds allowing the microprocessor plenty of time to
complete its self-check. If the problem persists, we recommend that you operate
the throttle with a slower movement as you interrupt the power in RESET and enter
the Forward phase.

You are trying to set the volume with a poorly charged or dead backup battery.
See the section on Battery Backup on Page 13.

You are waiting too long to turn the throttle back on after the short whistle blast
sounds. The power must be turned back on immediately after the short whistle blast

or the engine will go back into RESET. See the lockout procedure in the Lock-Out
section on page 19.

When the chuffing volume is set to 0, you will hear the compressor sounds because
setting the chuffing volume only controls the sound of the chuffing itself. All other
sounds, including compressor, neutral sounds, the horn and the bell sounds will
continue to play at the volume level set by the volume control knob located on the
bottom of the chassis (See Fig. 7 on Page 14).

ProtoSounds continues to omit sound for approximately 15 seconds after power to
the track has been shut off.

The battery is insufficiently charged or dead. Follow the recharging instructions of
the battery backup section on Page 13.

The sounds seem distorted,
especially when the whistle or bell is
operated.

The overall ProtoSound volume has been set to high creating the distorted sounds.
Try turning the volume control knob counter clockwise to reduce the overall volume
level.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 24

BRAKE SOUND PROBLEMS

PFA PROBLEMS

REMEDY

REMEDY

When the transformer is throttled
down, the brake sounds won't play.

The brake sounds continue to play
even after the engine stops.

The brake feature was activated in
neutral after the engine was running

in forward, but the brake sounds
would not play when triggered after
the engine went back into the

After triggering the brake sound and
stopping the engine in neutral, the

engine begins making passenger
station sounds.

The PFA feature does not begin
even after stopping the engine and
hearing the brake sounds.

The PFA sound effects occassionally
repeat themselves.

Once in PFA, the engine never goes
in reverse.

When the engine enters Event 5
(forward), the bell automatically
comes on.

Whenever PFA is enabled, pressing
the whistle and bell buttons does not
affect ProtoSounds.

I can't get PFA to begin when the
engine is stopped in the neutral
position.

The brake feature has not been activated. See page 6 for information on
activating the brake sound feature.

The throttle voltage setting on the transformer is either not starting high enough or
ending low enough to trigger the brake sounds. Try increasing the throttle setting to
14 volts or higher before throttling down to 8 volts or less.

The brake feature sound record lasts for three seconds. With practice you can
control how quickly you should stop the engine to keep it in sequence with the
sound of the brake's squealing.

The brake feature will only remain enabled if it is triggered in the first direction state
you enter after activating the feature in neutral. You cannot interrupt the power

twice to enter another direction state and still have the brake feature active.
Therefore, in order to make the brake sound feature operate in forward when
activated in neutral, you must activate it in the neutral position after running in
reverse.

After you trigger the brake sounds, you cannot stop the engine in neutral and leave
the track power on without triggering the passenger station sounds. If you don't

want to hear the passenger station sounds after entering neutral, turn the power off
for three seconds to disable the passenger station sound feature.

The power was not turned back on once the engine entered the neutral state thus
disabling PFA.

The transformer throttle was interrupted too quickly in neutral thus disabling PFA.
Leave the throttle on in neutral until after the PA arrival message plays.

ProtoSounds has a built-in random number generator that randomly selects each
sound clip to play. Because there are only a total of 8 sound clips available in each

PFA event, it is probable that a sound can occassionally be repeated one or more
times.

So that the passenger station announcement feature is as realistic as possible,
ProtoSounds disables the reverse state when PFA is enabled. This way the engine
never goes into reverse as the operator cycles through the various PFA events.

PFA has a built in command to turn the bell on when the system enters event 5.
After approximately 15 rings of the bell, it automatically turns off.

Because PFA must control various effects in each Event, the bell and whistle
functions are disabled until either the PFA events have been completed, or the
engine is shut down for three or more seconds.

It is possible that PFA was never enabled or has been disabled. Try reactivating the
feature by holding down the bell button for three or more seconds.

25 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

TRANSFORMER COMPATIBILITY AND WIRING CHART

ProtoSounds™ is designed to work with any “Standard” AC transformer that uses a “Pure
Sine-Wave” format. The chart below lists the many Lionel® compatible transformers, such
as the Lionel KW and ZW models. In addition, the chart details how the terminals on these
compatible transformers should be attached to your layout.

Transformer

Type

Outside Rail Center Rail

Min/Max

Voltage

Power

Rating

Lionel 1032

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1032M

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1033

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1043

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1043M

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1044

A U 5-16v 90-Watt

Lionel 1053 A U 8-17v 60-Watt
Lionel 1063

A U 8-17v 60-Watt

Lionel LW

U A 8-18v 75-Watt

Lionel KW

U A or B 6-20v 190-Watt

Lionel RW A U 9-19v 110-Watt
Lionel SW

A U Unknown 130-Watt

Lionel TW

A U 8-18v 175-Watt

Lionel ZW

U A-D 8-20v 275-Watt

Right of Way Black Red 0-25v 600-Watt

Lionel RS-1

Black Red 0-16v 50-Watt

Lionel

Trainmaster*

U A

See Transformer

Instructions

See
Transform
er
Instruction

s

ALL-Trol

Walk-Around

See Transformer

Instructions

See
Transformer
Instructions

See
Transform
er
Instruction
s

See
Transform
er
Instruction
s

MRC Tech II

Variable AC

Variable AC 0-17v 40Va

DALLEE
Hostler

See Transformer

Instructions

See
Transformer
Instructions

0-16v 160-Watt

* Lionel Trainmaster system will control ProtoSound equipped
engine direction only. No sound effects will play when
operated with Lionel Trainmaster system.

NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual 26

PROTOSOUND RESET FEATURE CHART

The following chart lists the available features found in your ProtoSound equipped engine.
The default settings are listed for each feature as well as the operation of the feature. You

can reset all features to their original factory settings by accessing Feature 18 in RESET

RESET # OPERATION DEFAULT SETTING

CLINKS\CLANKS

6 Chuffing Volume Full Volume 5 Clinks\1 Clank

10 Coupler On\Off Coupler On 0 Clinks\2 Clanks
18

Reset Default

Settings

3 Clinks\3 Clanks

20 Remote Bell Button Bell Button Active

0 Clinks\4 Clanks

23 RESERVED RESERVED RESERVED
25 Whistle In Neutral Whistle In Neutral Off

0 Clinks\5 Clanks

27 Chuff Rate Full Chuff Range 2 Clinks\5 Clanks
28 Brake\PFA Enabled Brake\PFA ON 3 Clinks\5 Clanks
40 Lockout Enabled Lockout OFF 8 Clanks

27 NYC Dreyfuss Operating Manual

SERVICE AND WARRANTY INFORMATION

HOW TO GET SERVICE UNDER THE TERMS

OF THE LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY

For warranty repair, do not return your product to the place of purchase. Instead, follow
the instructions below to obtain warranty service as our dealer network is not prepared to
service the product under the terms of this warranty.

1. First, write, call or FAX MTH Electric Trains, 9693-A Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD
410-381-2580, 410-381-6122(FAX), stating when it was purchased and what seems to be

the problem. You will be given a return authorization number to assure that your
merchandise will be properly handled upon its receipt.

2. CAUTION: Make sure the product is packed in its original factory packaging including its
foam and plastic wrapping material so as to prevent damage to the merchandise. The
shipment must be prepaid and we recommend that it be insured. A cover letter indicating
the reason for the return and a brief description of the problem should be included to
facilitate the repairs. Please don’t forget to include your return name and address.

3. Please make sure you have followed the instructions carefully before returning any
merchandise for service.

LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY

This item is warranted for one year from the date of purchase against defects in material
or workmanship. We will repair or replace (at our option) the defective part without charge
for parts or labor, if the item is returned to the address below within one year of the original

date of purchase. This warranty does not cover items that have been abused or damaged
by careless handling. Transportation costs incurred by the customer are not covered under
this warranty.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from
state to state.

ProtoSounds® is a registered trademark of MTH Electric Trains. DCRU® Electronic Reverse Unit is a
registered trademark of QS Industries, Inc. Lionel® is a registered trademark of Lionel L.L.C.