Atlas PREMIER SD70M-2 User manual

PREMIER SD70M-2
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE
OWNER’S MANUAL
PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL BEFORE USE AND SAVE
Compatiblity
This Engine will operate on any O-42 Gauge Track system.
It is also compatible with most standard AC transformers.
See pages 45 and 46 for a complete list of compatible
transformers, power packs and wiring instructions.

CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT
Recommended for Ages 14 and up. Not recommended for children under 14 years of age without adult supervision. As with all electric products,
precautions should be observed during handling and use to prevent electric shock.
WARNING: When using electrical products, basic safety precautions should be observed, including the following:
• Read this manual thoroughly before using this device.
• Atlas recommends that all users and persons supervising use examine the hobby transformer and other electronic equipment periodically for
conditions that may result in the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons, such as damage to the primary cord, plug blades, housing,
output jacks or other parts. In the event such conditions exist, the train set should not be used until properly repaired.
• Do not operate your layout unattended. Obstructed accessories or stalled trains may overheat, resulting in damage to your layout.
• This train set is intended for indoor use. Do not use if water is present. Serious injury or fatality may result.
• Do not operate the hobby transformer with damaged cord, plug, switches, buttons or case.
This product may be protected by one or more of the following patents: 6,019,289; 6,280,278; 6,281,606; 6,291,263; 6,457,681; 6,491,263;
6,604,641; 6,619,594; 6,624,537; 6,655,640.
©2023 Atlas Model Railroad Company. Atlas O is a registered trademark of the Atlas Model Railroad Company.
Table of Contents
Before You Begin
Set Up Checklist................................................................................................................................................3
Lubrication .......................................................................................................................................................3
Priming the Smoke Unit...................................................................................................................................3
Configuring Locomotive for 2-Rail or 3-Rail Operation ...................................................................................4
PS 3.0 Enhancements
Conventional AC/DC Start-up/Shut-down ........................................................................................................ 5
LED Lighting.....................................................................................................................................................5
DCS/DCC Switch................................................................................................................................................6
Programming Track (for DCC operation) .........................................................................................................6
Loading Engine Firmware................................................................................................................................6
Modes of Operation
Conventional AC Operation .............................................................................................................................. 7
Conventional DC Operation............................................................................................................................14
DCS Operation - Digital Command System....................................................................................................14
DCC - Digital Command Control.....................................................................................................................15
Proto-Sound® 3.0 Expanded DCC Functionality........................................................................................... 24
Maintenance
Lubricating and Greasing Instructions............................................................................................................33
Cleaning The Wheels, Tires and Track............................................................................................................34
ProtoSmoke™ Unit Operation....................................................................................................................... 35
Traction Tire Replacement Instructions........................................................................................................... 36
Headlight Replacement ..................................................................................................................................36
Troubleshooting Proto-Sound® 3.0 Problems..............................................................................................37
Transformer Compatibility and Wiring Chart ................................................................................................. 45
DC Power Supply Chart................................................................................................................................... 46
Additional Features Accessible Of DCS Remote Control System..................................................................... 47
Atlas O Customer Service................................................................................................................................48

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Before You Begin
Set Up Checklist
• Lubricate Engine and Prime Smoke Unit
• Read all General Maintenance and Operation Instructions
• Apply power to run as described in the Modes of Operation section
Lubrication
You should lubricate the engine to prevent it from squeaking and to prevent excessive wear. Use light household oil
and follow the lubrication points marked “L” (shown below). Do not over-oil. Use only a drop or two on each pivot
point.
Lubricate All Wheel Axles (L)
Lubricate All Pick Up Roller Axles (L)
Priming the Smoke Unit
When preparing to run this engine, add 15-20 drops of smoke fluid through the smokestack. Do not overfill the unit
or the fluid may leak out and coat the interior engine components. If you choose not to add smoke fluid (or have
already added fluid but choose to run smoke-free), turn off the smoke unit by turning the smoke unit volume control
fully counter-clockwise. Failure either to add fluid to the smoke unit or to turn it off may damage the smoke unit
heating element and/or wicking material.
Add Smoke Fluid
Smoke Unit Control
Lift To Access Controls

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3RAIL-2RAIL Switch
3-Rail Pick Up Rollers3-Rail Pick Up Rollers
Configuring Locomotive for 2-Rail or 3-Rail Operation
(As shown in the figure below, the 2 Rail – 3 Rail switch is located on the side of the fuel tank).
Your locomotive can be configured to operate on 2-Rail or 3-Rail track. From the factory the locomotive is configured
to operate on 3-Rail Track. To configure the locomotive for 2-Rail track operation, please do the following:
1. Remove the center rail pickup roller assemblies as seen in the figure below.
2. Change the power input from 3-Rail to 2-Rail.

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PS 3.0 Enhancements
Here are some of the exciting changes incorporated into your new Atlas Proto-Sound® 3.0 Locomotives. More
advanced features such as Custom Speed Tables and Advanced Consisting can be found in the DCC section of this
manual.
There are 4 options for operating your Atlas Proto-Sound® 3.0-equipped engine:
• Conventional AC
• Conventional DC
• DCS - Digital Command System
• DCC - Digital Command Control
When the locomotive is placed on the track and power is applied to the track the locomotive will detect the type of
control system being used and respond accordingly.
NOTE: You’ll need to have the DCC/DCS switch set correctly if you’re using one of those two modes.
Conventional (Analog) AC/DC Start-up/Shut-down
Your new Atlas PS3.0-equipped locomotive no longer has batteries. It uses Super Capacitors to hold the engine
board alive for a short time when you shut off or interrupt track power. Because of this, when you first apply track
power to your PS3.0-equipped O Gauge engine, you will notice the headlight comes on but nothing else. This is
perfectly normal. The capacitors are charging up during this time. The wait time depends upon how long it’s been
since you last applied power to the engine. Typically it will take 1-15 seconds to fully charge. NOTE: The 1-15
second charging wait time ONLY applies when using conventional AC track power.
Once the headlight shuts off, the engine will play its start-up sounds and all the lights will come back on,
simultaneously. Smoke too if you have it turned on.
The capacitors hold enough charge to play the full shut-down sounds. Also, the capacitors allow you to operate your
engine in conventional mode just like you would any other conventionally-controlled engine. Finally, because there
are no batteries, you will notice there is no longer an external charge jack on the engine.
LED Lighting
Gone are the incandescent bulbs. Your new PS3.0-equipped engine has LED lighting. Atlas uses various colored LEDs
to simulate the correct lighting on your engines from the warm, yellow-orange colored light coming out of an old
lantern on your favorite steam engine to the high-intensity halogen lamp on the latest modern diesels, LED’s allow
for various, correct colors. Also, they require less power and do not emit as much heat as incandescent bulbs.

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DCS/DCC Switch
Your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine has a DCS/DCC
selector switch located on the underside of the chassis
between the front trucks. To operate the engine in DCS
mode, ensure the switch is set to DCS. If you wish to run
the engine in DCC mode, ensure the switch is set to DCC.
If you inadvertently leave the switch in DCC it won’t hurt
anything, you just won’t be able to communicate with
your engine with your DCS system. Likewise, if you leave
the switch in DCS and try to operate the engine under
DCC you may notice a humming coming from your engine
and you will likely notice that your DCC system’s overload
light will be on.
Programming Track (for DCC operation)
Your Atlas Proto-Sound 3.0-equipped locomotive does not program well on Programming tracks due to the inclusion
of super capacitors utilized in the locomotive’s electronic package. The super capacitors provide backup power to
the electronics, allowing the locomotive to better negotiate track sections suffering from poor electrical conductivity.
This ensures that sounds continue to play, the locomotive continues to move forward and lighting remains lit. During
power shutdowns, the super capacitors provide power to allow the locomotive shutdown sounds to continue playing
through their conclusion. Unfortunately, the super capacitors require that operators ONLY program engine CV’s using
Programming on the Main (PoM).
Loading Engine Firmware
Your new Atlas PS3.0-equipped O-Gauge engine affords you the ability to load Engine firmware. Loader version
2.30 or later will allow you to do this. Please refer to the Loader program’s instructions for more details. So, as Atlas
releases new features or updates you will be able to take full advantage without having to ship your favorite engine
anywhere. All new updates are available on our website. Atlas will make announcements as they are available. Not
all updates will apply to all engines.
NOTE: Requires a TIU w/version 4.20 or later firmware, and requires Consumer Loader version 2.30 or
later.
DCS/DCC Switch

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Modes of Operation
The following pages have detailed descriptions of the 4 different modes of operation:
• Conventional AC
• Conventional DC
• DCS - Digital Command System
• DCC - Digital Command Control
Conventional AC Operation
When using conventional AC power, the engine will respond to changes in track voltage. An increase in track voltage
will increase the locomotive speed and a reduction in track voltage will reduce the engine speed.
A short interruption (approximately 1 to 2 seconds) in the track voltage will cause the engine to cycle in the sequence
for each track voltage interruption (neutral – forward – neutral – reverse) When power is first applied to the
track, the locomotive will be silent for 1-20 seconds and the headlight will be on, indicating the super capacitors are
charging (The super capacitors provide power to the sound system during direction changes or intermittent drops
in track power due to dirty track or on switches, when operating in conventional mode). When the super capacitors
are charged, all the lights will come on and the engine sounds will start up. There should be no movement, as the
engine is in neutral. Causing a short interruption of track power by using the direction button on the transformer, or
by bringing the throttle to 0 volts and back again, will change the sequence to the forward state. Then increasing the
throttle will begin to move the engine forward, and speed will increase as the throttle is advanced.
If there is another interruption in track power the sequence will change to the neutral position again. The engine
will remain in the neutral state until there is another interruption in track power. The next interruption in track
power will move the sequence to the reverse state. The engine will now move in the reverse direction. If the power
interruption was accomplished by using the direction button and the throttle position was not changed, the engine
will run in the reverse direction at the same speed that it was traveling in the forward position.
Subsequent interruptions in track power of 1-2 seconds will continue the sequence rotation. If you happen to
interrupt track power for longer than about 2 seconds, the engine will begin its shut down sounds. If this occurs
you can cycle the direction sequence again to get back to the direction you wish to move and once the engine starts
moving its shut down sounds will stop playing (See direction cycle phases).
In conventional AC operation the whistle sound, the bell sound, PFA sounds and other operational functions can be
accessed if your transformer has a horn/whistle button and a bell button. By using combinations of button presses,
different commands besides blowing the whistle and ringing the bell can be initiated.

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Proto-Sound 3.0 Conventional AC Operating Instructions
Activating Proto-Sound 3.0 Conventional AC Mode Features
Throttle: To increase or decrease track voltage, and therefore train speed, turn the throttle control knob. Turning
clockwise will increase voltage and speed, while turning counterclockwise will decrease voltage and speed. The
engine will maintain the speed you set after you release the throttle until you turn it again to change the voltage
and speed.
Bell: To sound the bell, in an engine equipped with a bell firmly press and release the Bell button. To turn the bell
off, press and release the Bell button again. The bell will continue to ring from the time you turn it on until you press
and release the button again to turn it off.
Horn/Whistle: To sound the whistle, firmly press the Horn/Whistle button. The whistle will sound for as long as you
continue to depress the button. It will stop when you release the button.
Direction: Your train is programmed to start in neutral. The train will always cycle neutral-forward-neutral-reverse
with each press and release of the direction button. The engine is programmed to restart in neutral each time the
track voltage is turned off for 25 seconds or more.
CYCLE PHASES
Reverse Forward
Neutral
Neutral

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Manual Volume Control
To adjust the volume of all sounds made
by this engine, turn the manual volume
control clockwise to increase the volume
and counterclockwise to reduce the
volume. Turning the manual volume
control completely counterclockwise will
turn of all of the engine sounds and
announcements.
Proto-Sound 3.0 features are activated by sequences of Bell and Horn button pushes described below. Please read
the full descriptions of each feature before using it. To use these buttons to activate features rather than to blow the
horn or ring the bell, you should tap the buttons very quickly with a ½-second pause between button presses. You
may need to practice your timing to make this work smoothly.
*Only applicable to engines equipped with beacon and/or marker lights. Beacon Lights are also configured to control
Wrong Line, Alternate Country and other lighting setups typically found on European models. Marker lights are also
used as Train/No-Train lighting in European models.
Timing Chart
Press
Horn
Short &
Firm
½ Sec.
Pause
Press
Bell
Short &
Firm
½ Sec.
Pause
Press
Bell
Short &
Firm
Total Time Lapse: 1 ½ Seconds
Feature to Be Activated Button Code
Marker Lights* 1 Bell, 1 Horn/Whistles
PFA (Passenger/Freight Announcements) 1 Bell, 2 Horn/Whistles
Fire the Rear Coupler 1 Bell, 3 Horn/Whistles
Fire the Front Coupler 1 Bell, 4 Horn/Whistles
Speed Control On/Off 1 Horn/Whistle, 2 Bells (from Neutral only)
Lock into a Direction 1 Horn/Whistle, 3 Bells
Beacon Light (On/Off)* 1 Horn/Whistle, 4 Bells
Reset to Factory Defaults 1 Horn/Whistle, 5 Bells (from Neutral only)
Proto-Sound® 3.0 Manual Volume Control

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Passenger/Freight Announcements (PFA)
Your engine is equipped with a sound package of either passenger station announcements or freight yard sounds
that you can play when you pull into a station or a yard. Each sequence described below will play as long as it is
left on, randomly generating sounds, but be sure to allow approximately 30 seconds between the button pushes
described below to allow the PFA sufficient time to run through each sequence.
• To cue the sound system to play the PFA, quickly but firmly tap the Bell button once followed by 2 quick taps of the
Horn button while the engine is moving. Tap the buttons quickly but allow approximately ½ second between each
press.
• Press the Direction button once to stop the engine. This will trigger the first sequence of PFA. The reverse unit is
temporarily disabled so that the train will not move as you use the Direction button to trigger the sounds. Proto-
Sound 3.0 has disabled operator control over the Horn and Bell buttons until the full PFA sequence is complete.
• After waiting about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the Direction button again to trigger the second
sequence of PFA.
• After about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third PFA sequence.
• Again, after allowing about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the Direction button one more time to
trigger the fourth and final PFA sequence. The PFA will continue and within a few seconds the bell will begin
ringing, then the engine will begin moving at the current throttle setting, in the same direction it was traveling
when you began the sequence. Once the bell turns off, the operator regains control of the transformer’s bell and
Horn buttons and can ring the bell or blow the Horn as usual.
Marker Lights (On/Off) (if equipped)
By default your Marker Lights are set to ON. To toggle the Marker Lights, perform the following sequence on your AC
transformer:
Place
Engine in
Neutral
HornBell Marker Lights
(On/Off)
Sound System Cued to Play
Freight Yard or Passenger
Station Sounds (PFA)
Operator
Controls
When Bell
Turns Off
Direction Direction Direction Direction
Horn/
Whistle
Bell Horn/
Whistle
1st
Sequence
PFA
2nd
Sequence
PFA
3rd
Sequence
PFA
4th
Sequence
PFA

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Tips on Using PFA
• You can terminate PFA at any time by turning off power to the track for 15 seconds.
• You do not have to be in Forward to use PFA. At the conclusion of the full sequence, the train will pull away from the
station or yard in whatever direction you were going when you activated the feature.
• You can use PFA even if you are double-heading with another engine. If the second engine is not equipped with Proto-
Sound® 3.0, you must remember not to leave the throttle at a high voltage level once you have stopped the engine to
run the PFA. Otherwise, the engine without PFA will begin vibrating on the track as its motors strain to move the train,
since they cannot be automatically disabled during the PFA cycle (or if an original Proto-Sound® engine, PFA are
triggered differently and that engine’s motor-disable feature will not be active when you run PFA in Proto-Sound® 3.0).
• PFA can be triggered from Neutral. It will operate the same as if triggered while in motion except that, at the conclusion
of the PFA, the engine will depart in the next direction of travel, as opposed to the direction it was traveling before
entering Neutral.
Proto-Coupler™ Operation
This locomotive is equipped with one or more coil-wound Proto-Couplers for remote uncoupling action. Because
Proto-Couplers are controlled through the Proto-Sound® 3.0 microprocessor, they do not require an uncoupling
track section or modification to your layout to function. You can fire a coupler from neutral or while in motion. Use
the code shown below to fire the coupler(s).
Rear Coupler
To fire the rear coupler, quickly tap the Bell button once followed by three quick taps of the Horn button, allowing
approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. The sound of the liftbar and air line depletion
will play, and the knuckle will be released.
Front Coupler
To fire the front coupler (if your engine has one), quickly tap the Bell button once followed by four quick taps of the
Horn button, allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. The sound of the liftbar
and air line depletion will play, and the knuckle will be released.
HornBell
Fire
Rear
Coupler
HornHorn
HornBell
Fire
Front
Coupler
HornHorn Horn

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Speed Control
Atlas engines equipped with Proto-Sound® 3.0 have speed control capabilities that allow the engine to maintain a
constant speed up and down grades and around curves, much like an automobile cruise control. You can add or drop
cars on the run, and the engine will maintain the speed you set.
While the engine is programmed to start with the speed control feature activated, you can opt to turn it off. This
means the engine’s speed will fall as it labors up a hill and increase as it travels downward. It is also affected by the
addition or releasing of cars while on the run. Because the engine will run more slowly at a given throttle voltage
when speed control is on than when it is off, you should adjust the throttle to a lower power level for operation with
speed control off to avoid high-speed derailments. When speed control is off, the volume will drop to allow for better
low voltage operation.
To turn speed control on and off, put the engine in neutral, then quickly tap the transformer’s Horn button one time
then quickly tap the Bell button two times, allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button
press. Two horn blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change. Repeat the 1 horn, 2 bells code to return it
to the other condition. You will want to do this during the initial neutral upon start-up if you ever couple this engine
to another engine that is not equipped with speed control to avoid damaging the motors in either engine. Each time
you shut down the engine completely, it will automatically turn speed control on.
Locking Locomotive Into A Direction
You can lock your engine into a direction (forward, neutral, or reverse) so that it will not change directions. To do
this, put the engine into the direction you want (or into neutral to lock it into neutral), run it at a very slow crawl (as
slowly as it will move without halting), and quickly but firmly tap the Horn button once followed by three quick taps
of the Bell button, allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. Two horn blasts will
indicate that the engine has made the change. The engine will not change direction (including going into neutral)
until you repeat the 1 horn, 3 bells code to return the engine to its normal condition, even if the engine is kept
without power for extended periods of time.
Place
Engine into
Desired
Direction
Horn Bell
Direction Lock
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
Bell Bell
Place
Engine into
Neutral
Horn Bell
Speed Control
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
Bell

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Beacon Light (On/Off) (if equipped)
By default your Beacon Light is set to ON. To toggle the Beacon Light, perform the following sequence on your AC
transformer below. NOTE: The Beacon Light is also used to select different lighting schemes primarily in
European engines. For example, Wrong Line Operation.
Reset to Factory Default
To override the settings you currently have assigned to the engine and reset it to its factory defaults, while in Neutral
tap the Horn button quickly once, followed by five quick taps of the Bell button, allowing approximately ½ second to
lapse between each quick button press. Two horn blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change.
Automatic Sound Effects
Certain Proto-Sound® 3.0 sound effects automatically play in programmed conventional mode conditions:
• Squealing Brakes play any time the engine’s speed decreases rapidly.
• Cab Chatter plays at random intervals when the engine idles in neutral.
• Engine Start-up and Shut-down sounds play when the engine is initially powered on or is powered off for five
seconds or more.
Place
Engine in
Neutral
Horn Bell Beacon Light
(On/Off)
Bell Bell Bell
Place
Engine in
Neutral
Horn Bell
Reset
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
Bell Bell Bell Bell

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Conventional DC Operation
Your Atlas locomotive will operate on conventional DC track voltage also. However, functions such as sounding the
horn, ringing the bell and the PFA sounds cannot be initiated in conventional DC. Only the engine sounds, smoke,
squealing brakes and idle sounds will function.
Operation of your Atlas Proto-Sound® 3.0 engine in conventional DC is very similar to operating a conventional AC
engine. As you increase track voltage, engine speed increases.
As the track voltage is decreased, engine speed is decreased. When track voltage polarity is reversed using the
polarity or direction switch on the power pack, the engine will run in the opposite direction. The electronics in your
Atlas Proto-Sound® 3.0 locomotive are designed to slowly change direction without a need to change the throttle, if
you so desire.
Just change the polarity switch on your DC power pack and the engine will gradually come to a stop and then
automatically begin traveling in the opposite direction. The speed will build up to the same speed that the engine
was going in the previous direction. When power is first applied to the locomotive, the engine’s sounds will start up
when the track voltage reaches about 8 VDC. To get your locomotive moving, after the startup sounds have finished
and the locomotive is idling, slowly increase the track voltage until the locomotive is traveling at the desired speed.
NOTE: If you apply more than 9.0VDC to the engine at start-up the engine will not move. This is
normal. We refer to this as “Anti-Jackrabbit” and this feature prevents your model from taking off at
high track voltages. Simply lower the track voltage down below 9.0VDC and then back up to get your
engine moving. This applies only when you start up your engine.
DCS - Digital Command System
While the acronyms are close, this is where the similarity ends between DCC and DCS. Yes they are both digital
control systems. However, Atlas DCS is not DCC. There are several proprietary versions of DCC on the market, but
DCS is not one of them. Atlas’s DCS System is a proven technology in the O Gauge, One Gauge, and HO Gauge
markets. First the power signal in DCS is not the command signal. Next DCS employs a fully functional bi-directional
communication scheme opening a vast range of advanced features and yet so simple and intuitive that you can enjoy
them. No programming tracks, bits and bytes, or conversion of binary to hexadecimal numbers here. To add an
engine in DCS, press “ADD ENGINE”. After that, if you want to start your engine just press “START UP” or to turn the
smoke unit on or off, just press “SMOKE”. No combination of letters or numbers to remember.
Additional details can be found in the DCS manual that accompanies your DCS system. With DCS, you can have a
whole fleet of PS 3.0 engines on the rails and they will remain shut down until you command them to start up.

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DCC - Digital Command Control
DCC is a popular digital command scheme wherein the track power is also a digital control signal. That is, using a
DCC controller, you can communicate with multiple engines and have all of them moving at different speeds and in
varying directions on the same track at the same time. The power/command signal remains constant and engines
are commanded to perform as desired. Your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine has the ability to decode and respond to
these DCC commands. This allows you to mix and match Atlas PS3—equipped engines as well as operate them with
any other manufacturer’s DCC-decoder equipped engine. The best part about your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine is
that the decoder is built right in. No need to remove the hood and install speakers or boards. It’s all done for you at
the factory. Each PS3.0-equipped engine has a full complement of lights, sounds, smoke (if equipped). Just set the
model on the rails, apply DCC power and hit F3 on your DCC handheld controller and you’re off and running.
Basic DCC Operation
Your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine takes full advantage of DCC’s capabilities. Below are the basic commands you’ll
want to know to get started running quickly. Please refer to the Advanced DCC Operation section of the manual if
you want to dig into the full capability of DCC.
Each engine type may have a slightly different F Function list. This depends upon whether it’s steam, diesel, or
electric and whether it has smoke or not. Please refer to the table of Default CV Values for your particular engine’s
F Functions. A note about enabling/disabling F Functions in DCC - Depending upon the DCC system you have you
may need to toggle a particular F Function on then off to actually get it to enable. Some DCC systems do this for you
automatically and others allow you to set particular F Function buttons to either be set for momentary or toggle.
Please refer to your DCC control station manufacturer’s manual for more information on how they handle F Function
buttons.
Your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine’s default short address is 3. So all you have to do is power up your DCC system
and call up Locomotive 3 to begin.
Start-Up/Shut-Down
F3 – Start-Up/Shut-Down
Pressing this twice (toggle on then off) will start up your engine. When you apply DCC power your Atlas PS3.0-
equipped engine will remain dark and quiet. Since you likely don’t want to run the engine this way, simply press F3
twice to start your engine. The lights, sound and smoke (if equipped) will come on.
NOTE: Now your engine will start up just by advancing the throttle. But for the F3 functions (Start Up
and Shut Down) to operate, the engine not be moving.
To shut your engine down, press the F3 button twice. This will play the shut down sounds and then turn the lights
and smoke and sounds off. As long as there is DCC power still on the track the engine can be started up again by
pressing the F3 button twice.

Atlas Premier SD70M-2 Diesel Engine w/Proto-Sound® 3.0
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Sounds
F1 – Bell
To activate the Bell press F1. To deactivate it, hit F1 again.
F2 – Whistle (Horn)
To activate the Whistle/Horn, press F2. To shut it off either let off the F2 button or press and release it.
F4 – PFA
PFA in Atlas lingo stands for Passenger/Freight Announcements. Your engine is pre-programmed for the appropriate
type of sounds based upon the type of service the real-life engine used in daily operation.
There are five sound sequences or segments in the PFA feature. Each segment is advanced by you, the operator.
You hit the F4 button twice on the DCC controller to let the engine know you want it to advance (this toggles the PFA
function on then off to clear the remote for the next sequence). In most PFA sequences there is a minimum wait time
of about 20-30 seconds before it will advance. So, here is how a typical PFA sequence operates:
1. Press the F4 button twice (toggle F4 on then off) to start the PFA sequence on theengine. You’ll hear “Now
arriving…” for passenger sound sets and cab chatter for freight sound sets. The bell will then begin ringing.
2. Slowly reduce the throttle until the train stops at the desired location and speed reaches zero. Press the F4 button
twice (toggle F4 on then off) again and the bell will stop ringing. You will hear the engine sounds switch from the
cab to the station or yard with all the ambient sounds you’d hear in the real thing.
3. Press the F4 button twice (toggle F4 on then off) again to advance the sequence. You’ll hear “Now boarding…”
for passenger sound sets and freight yard sounds for freight sound sets.
4. Press the F4 button twice (toggle F4 on then off) again to advance the sequence. You’ll hear “Now departing…”
for passenger sound sets and more freight yard sounds for freight sound sets.
5. Press the F4 button twice (toggle F4 on then off) the last time to advance the sequence. You’ll hear “All
aboard…” for passenger sound sets and more freight yard sounds for freight sound sets. The engine sounds will
switch over to the cab again. When the bell begins to ring, advance the throttle to move the engine out of the
station or yard. The bell will shut off automatically.
Lights
F0 – Headlight/Taillight
This toggles your headlight/taillight on and off.
F5 – Lights
This toggles your firebox and cab interior light on and off.

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Master Volume
F6 – Master Volume
When you activate F6, the Master Volume will begin increasing. If you are at 0 (no volume), the first time you turn
on F6 it will take approximately 3 seconds to get to 100% volume. When you get to your desired volume level, turn
F6 off.
The next time you toggle F6 on it will drive the Master Volume to 0. If you are at 100% it will take approximately 3
seconds to get to 0. When you arrive at your desired level turn F6 off.
It works like a volume slider – the first time you enable F6 it goes up and stops at 100%. Toggle F6 off and then
back on and it will go down to 0 and stop.
Couplers
Your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine comes with remotely controlled Proto-Couplers. They can be fired using your DCC
handheld.
F7 – Front Coupler
Pressing F7 twice (toggling on then off) will fire your Front Coupler
F8 – Rear Coupler
Pressing F8 twice (toggling on then off) will fire your Rear Coupler
Forward/Reverse Signal
Just like a real engine, you can announce the direction of intended movement using your DCC handheld and F9 and
F10.
F9 – Forward Signal
Pressing F9 twice (toggling on then off) will sound the Forward Signal. This is two whistle/horn blasts
F10 – Reverse Signal
Pressing F10 twice (toggling on then off) will sound the Reverse Signal. This is three whistle/horn blasts
Grade Crossing Signal
Again, just like a real engine, you can trigger the Grade Crossing Signal on your engine. This is two long, one short,
one long whistle/horn blast.
F11 – Grade Crossing Signal
Pressing F11 twice (toggling on then off) will sound your Crossing Signal.

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Smoke (if equipped)
F12 – Smoke On/Off
Enabling F12 will turn the smoke unit on. Disabling F12 will turn your smoke unit off.
F13 – Smoke Volume
There are three smoke volume levels in your PS3.0-equipped engine – Low/Med/High. The default for this is set to
High. You can adjust the smoke output (amount of smoke the generator puts out) by pressing the F13 button twice.
This sets the level to the next step. For example, if you are currently at the High smoke output level, pressing F13
twice (toggling it on then off) will set the smoke volume to Low. Pressing F13 twice again will set it to Medium and
so on.
Engine Sounds
F25 – Engine Sounds
You can turn the Engine Sounds On/Off by pressing the F25 button. Pressing it once (enabling F25) will cause the
Engine Sounds to shut off. The Whistle/Horn and Bell sounds will still be active, however. To turn the engine sounds
back on press the F25 button again (disable F25).
Additional F Functions
F14-F16 – Idle Sequence
Pressing F14, F15, or F16 twice (toggling on then off) will trigger an Idle Sequence if the engine is not moving.
These vary from engine to engine and may include things like checking the coal load, checking the water level,
using the Alemite grease gun on the drivers, etc. When triggered, these will run through the sequence that varies in
duration.
NOTE: The engine must be sitting still in order to trigger these
F17 – Extended Start-Up
If your engine is shut down or you’ve just applied DCC power pressing F17 twice (toggling it on then off) will start
the Extended Start-Up sounds. This is very similar to F3 except you will hear the crew talking back and forth about
getting the engine ready to run.
F18 – Extended Shut-Down
If your engine is already up and running you can play
the Extended Shut Down sounds by pressing F18 twice (toggling on then off). The Extended Shut Down is very
similar to F3 in that the engine will ultimately shut down, but in the case of Extended Shut Down you will hear the
crew talking back and forth about how the engine ran, time schedules, etc.
F19 – Rev Up
Pressing F19 twice will increase the diesel engine’s rev level by one notch. Two more presses of F19 will rev the diesel
engine to the second notch and so forth. You can rev the engine up 7 notches from idle. This is useful if you wish to
simulate a heavy load behind the train and want to rev the diesel engine up.

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F20 – Rev Down
Pressing F20 twice will decrease the diesel engine’s rev level by one notch. Two more presses of F20 will rev the
diesel engine down one more notch and so forth. You can rev the engine down to its idle rev level as long as it’s
sitting still.
F21 – One Shot Doppler
You can set your Atlas PS3.0-equipped engine to simulate the actual Doppler Effect sound a real engine makes as it
passes you. To do this, press the F21 button once (enable F21) and then listen as the engine makes that pitch shift
that mimics the Doppler Effect perfectly. Press the F21 button again (disable F21) to shut off the Doppler Effect. With
a little practice in timing and speed you can make this happen right in front of you.
F22 – Coupler Slack
When an engine hooks up and pulls a train it has to take up the coupler slack. You can play this sound by pressing
F22 twice (toggling on then off). This feature works two ways – While the engine is sitting still, press F22 twice to
enable it. Then, when you move the engine, it will play the Coupler Slack sound.
The second way is to simply force the sound while the engine is moving. To do this, simply press F22 twice (toggling it
on then off). The sound will play.
F23 – Coupler Close
To play the Coupler Close sound press the F23 button twice (toggling it on then off). You can play this sound as you’re
coupling cars together to add realism.
F24 – Single Whistle/Horn Blast
To play a Single Horn Blast press the F24 button twice (toggling in on then off). This plays a single, short horn blast.
F26 – Brake Sounds
Pressing the F26 button (enable F26) will disable the Brake Sounds for your engine. The Brake Sounds occur when
you reduce the speed of your engine rapidly. To enable the Brake Sounds press the F26 button (disable F26). Brake
Sounds are On by default.
F27 – Cab Chatter
Cab Chatter occurs when the engine is sitting at idle. There are various times when the crew will talk to each other
when the engine is sitting at idle. Pressing the F27 button (enable F27) will disable the Cab Chatter. Pressing the F27
button again (disable F27) will enable Cab Chatter. Cab Chatter is On by default.
F28 – Feature Reset
Resets Features to defaults.

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FUNCTION CHART
F Key Description
F0 Head/Tail light
F1 Bell
F2 Horn
F3 Start-Up/Shut Down
F4 PFA
F5 Lights (except head/tail)
F6 Master Volume
F7 Front Coupler
F8 Rear Coupler
F9 Forward Signal
F10 Reverse Signal
F11 Grade Crossing
F12 Smoke (On/Off)
F13 Smoke Volume
F14 Idle Sequence 3
F15 Idle Sequence 2
F16 Idle Sequence 1
F17 Extended Start-Up
F18 Extended Shut-Down
F19 Rev Up
F20 Rev Down
F21 One Shot Doppler
F22 Coupler Slack
F23 Coupler Close
F24 Single Horn Blast
F25 Engine Sounds
F26 Brake Sounds (On/Off)
F27 Cab Chatter (On/Off)
F28 Feature Reset