Atlas Gold RSD-4/5 Initial Experience

[bbussey]

Are you comparing them to the old Kato-made version from 30+ years ago? This new DCC-friendly version weighs exactly the same (2.35 oz) as the previous Atlas Classic releases.

That’s good to know. I was taking about just the frame. I guess the added components make up for it in total model weight.

[sandypsj]

What sort of cars are you using? I've got mine pulling 32 cars and it's not showing any signs of slipping, but they're all fairly light Atlas and MTL 40' freight cars.

-Mark

A variety, but averaging out probably to heavier than yours--some covered hoppers, some 50' boxcars, 3 of the new-ish MTL NP weathered sugar beet gondolas. I was messing with the layout a bit last night and realized that some of the issue may have been with the curve it was stalling on being on a minutely perceptible grade because of unevenness in the benchwork--it definitely does better on even straightaways. Will continue to experiment!

[peteski]

It does not. As previously stated, I've already tried.

Any of you other owners want to give it a try?

-Mark

Do we (anybody) know what is the exact factory-installed decoder in this model?

[bbussey]

Do we (anybody) know what is the exact factory-installed decoder in this model?

LokSound 5 Nano DCC with E24 connector, according to LokProgrammer.

[spookshow]

Do we (anybody) know what is the exact factory-installed decoder in this model?

CV8 says it's ESU and the Atlas website says it's "ESU LokSound". I haven't come across anything more specific than that. There's zero documentation in the box.

-Mark

[peteski]

LokSound 5 Nano DCC with E24 connector, according to LokProgrammer.

Then I don't see why DC mode should not work.  I know Mark, you can't get the decoder to run on DC, but here is an excerpt from LokSound 5 manual Version 15 English:


7.3. Analogue Mode
All LokSound decoders are set ex factory to operate in analogue mode as well.

7.3.1. Analogue DC operation
LokSound decoders work on conventional DC layouts. From the factory, load compensation is active. This provides smooth control of your locomotives even at low speeds (in DC mode as well). Since load compensation requires about 3 – 4 Volts as „base voltage“ you must turn the throttle further than normal (=locomotives without decoder) before the locomotive starts moving.

10.8.1. DC Analogue Operation
In DC analogue mode you can adjust the starting speed with the CVs 125 and the maximum speed with CV126.
The motor is switched off again as soon as the throttle voltage goes below a certain value. Normally this value is equal to the switch on voltage (CV 125) but can be lowered by an “Offset”. This offset is stored in CV 130.

Functions such as lights and sound can be turned on in advance even when another (usually lower) voltage independent of the motor. To achieve this, the offset is written into CV 129.


So there appear to be additional CVs involved in analog running.
Make sure CV50 is set to value of 3
According to the manual the factory-default analog starting voltage (CV125) is set to 90.  No explanation is given as to what it means. If 90 is 9V, then that is silly.  Try setting CV125 to 30 and see if the loco will run in DC.  Also try setting CV130 to 1.  This is getting too complicated.  Can we say that ESU is overly feature-rich?

[spookshow]

You nailed it Peteski, setting CV50 to 3 was indeed the magic bullet (although reading it back, it says it only set it to 2, but whatever). Clearly ESU doesn't give a rat's a$$ about analog users since they are doubly locked out by default 

-Mark

[Jbub]

You nailed it Peteski, setting CV50 to 3 was indeed the magic bullet (although reading it back, it says it only set it to 2, but whatever). Clearly ESU doesn't give a rat's a$$ about analog users since they are doubly locked out by default 

-Mark

ESU is complicated, but I wouldn't say they don't give a rat's a** about DC users, otherwise the decoder wouldn't support the use of DC. My bet is the person who wrote the programming for the sound file mistakenly entered the wrong bit number for CV50. That could be an Atlas thing if they wrote their own file or an ESU thing.

[spookshow]

ESU is complicated, but I wouldn't say they don't give a rat's a** about DC users, otherwise the decoder wouldn't support the use of DC. My bet is the person who wrote the programming for the sound file mistakenly entered the wrong bit number for CV50. That could be an Atlas thing if they wrote their own file or an ESU thing.

And evidently the wrong bit number for CV29 too. Like I said, doubly disabled.

Personally, I think decoders have become overly complicated in their plethora of settings - and I guess I'm proven right if the guys who are tasked to set them up are just as confused as the rest of us.

-Mark

[peteski]

Mark, you are correct that to enable  just the DC operation in CV50, value of 1 will do it.  I recommended setting it to 3 because that is listed in the table of default CV values listed in the LokSound decoder manual.  That is the value as-shipped from ESU (blank decoder).  The same table list default value of CV29 as 3.  That shows that ESU does leave DC operation enabled by default as the default value is 12 (enable DC and enable RailCom).

As Jbub mentioned, the likely reason for DC being disabled is becuase the author of the sound project set them that  way in the project.  for example my recently purchased Atlas Gold GP40 (CSX), GP40-2 (Guilford), Dash 8 40-B (Pan Am), and Dash 8-32 BHW (Amtrak) with LokSound decoder all have DC mode enabled as they came from Atlas.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Speaking of not stalling … the mechanism fills every cubic millimeter of space under the bodyshell, so there is no room for a keep-alive module.

I reiterate: it should be a federal crime to sell N scale sound decoders without keep-alives.

[bbussey]

I have two gold RS3s that I hadn't touched yet.  I unpacked one and read the settings via LokProgrammer.  Mark is correct, the units are coming from the factory with DC analog mode disabled.  It's easy to activate in LokProgrammer, simply by clicking a checkbox, but apparently an adventure to do so manually by setting CVs.

I reiterate: it should be a federal crime to sell N scale sound decoders without keep-alives.

At the least, there should be U+ and GND soldering pads on the motherboard for models that utilize the small decoders.  I'm sure this isn't just an ESU issue.  It would make sense to do so on all models regardless of the decoder used.  The FAs are easy to add keep-alive, but the pads are on the decoder board and you have to disconnect the decoder to solder the keep-alive leads.  It would be so much easier to solder to two pads on top of the motherboard and not need to disassemble anything.

[crrcoal]

A decoder buddy for n scale would help solve some issues but with space at a premium to begin with......

[bbussey]

Here’s the installation of the TCS KA-N1 keep-alive module in the RS3, following @peteski’s instructions on connecting it to the Atlas narrow motherboard. The KA is goo’d to the top of the spare 4-pin socket, which is perfectly centered under the cab. I still need to modify the L&HR bodies before mounting them.

[peteski]

Good job Bryan shoehorning it in.