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If you have decoders from other manufacturers in your locomotives you might want to
check out the available line of Rapido decoders on our web site. All of our decoder
sounds were recorded under load and we simply can’t stand decoders that don’t have
this feature.
More detailed decoder instructions, including all sorts of weird CV settings we don’t
understand, can be found in the ESU LokSound V5 decoder manual. At the time of
writing, this wasn’t finished yet. Hopefully buy the time you read this, it is available for
download from the support section of our web site or directly from the ESU website.
LOCOMOTIVE ADDRESS
Your Rapido RS-18 comes from the factory with a decoder address of 3. We suggest
if you are using DCC control that you first test that the locomotive responds on address
3 to all functions – motor, lights, sounds, everything. Once you have verified that
the locomotive is responding you should assign it a unique address (normally the
road number of the unit) before going any further. This can be done either on your
programming track (recommended) or on the main if your system supports programming
on the main. Be aware however that if you do program the locomotive on the main and
you have any other locomotives assigned to address 3 (the normal default address for
new locomotives) that ALL of them will also be changed to your new address! This is
great if you want to simulate a bunch of kids getting into the engine shop, notching the
controllers and then heading for the hills.
Note that some DCC systems get a little wonky when programming sound-equipped
locomotives on the programming track because of the high current draw. If weird stuff
happens, try programming on the main.
TURN ON THE SOUND
Press F8 and you will hear the RS-18 startup sequence followed by the sound of it idling.
You can adjust CVs to prevent the locomotive from moving until the startup sequence has
played out. Most of us at Rapido are really impatient so we turned this feature off. Refer
to a full ESU LokSound V5 decoder manual for more information. Ok − they just finished
it. You can now download it from the Support section of our web site. The feature is
called the “Prime Mover Startup Delay” and is Section 13.2 on Page 89 of the ESU
LokSound V5 manual.
If you press F8 when the locomotive is already moving, it will skip the startup and the
sound will just turn on. Press F8 again to turn the sound off.
Note that if you are listening to your RS-18 idling nicely and then you select another
engine, your locomotive still thinks F8 is pressed so it will keep idling along. However, if
someone else selects your locomotive’s number and F8 isn’t pressed on their controller,
the RS-18 will promptly shut down. They will need to press F8 again.