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LOCOMOTIVE ADDRESS
Your Rapido SW1200RS comes from the factory with a decoder address of 3. We're not
sure the origins of this, but we have a feeling it's related to the origins of video games
when you had to turn the dial on your television to Channel 3 in order to experience
the magic and wonder. That's why your SW1200RS locomotive can, in fact, play Pong.
Sorry, we mean "APF TV Fun" for those of us who couldn't afford the real Pong.
We suggest if you are using DCC control that you first test that the locomotive responds
on address 3. Once you have verified that the locomotive is responding you should
assign it a unique address (we suggest the road number of the locomotive) 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 on
your layout assigned to address 3 (the normal default address for new locomotives) that
ALL of them will likely also be changed to your new address! Also be aware that if you
give your locomotive a four-digit address it will not work at all if you try to run it on a
friend's DC layout.
Also please keep in mind that some DCC systems do not have sufficient power to
program sound-equipped locomotives on the mainline. If your sounds do not operate
correctly on a Digitrax DCC system, this likely means that you need to clear the memory
on your system, achieved by "clearing slot #36." A basic summary of how to do this can
be found on the SW1200RS page in the Support section of our web site. More detailed
information can be found on the Digitrax web site.
If you have a really old DCC system, you may find that this locomotive won't work at
all – nor will many other new models. Go update your DCC system to a newer version.
Your computer is updated regularly. So is your cell phone. Your DCC system should be
updated as well.
TURN ON THE SOUND
Press F8 and you will hear the SW1200RS 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. We aren't keen on this feature so we disabled it. Refer to a
full ESU LokSound Select decoder manual for more information on how to put it back.
You can download it from the SW1200RS page in the Support section of our web site.
The feature is called the "Prime Mover Startup Delay" and at the time of writing it was
on page 35 of the ESU 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 SW1200RS idling nicely and then you select
another engine with your throttle, your locomotive still thinks F8 is pressed so it will keep
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