Lionel 71-3008-250 User manual

71-3008-250
3/02
Rev. 1
®
featuring and
Standard Gauge
Commodore Vanderbilt
Steam Locomotive,
Tender & Passenger Cars
Owner’s Manual
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Locomotive features:
2
• Dual Pittman®motors
• Command reverse unit for use with the
TrainMaster Command Control system
• RailSounds sound system
• CrewTalk communication (in Command)
• TowerCom announcement (in Command)
• Illuminated firebox glow
• Fan-driven smoke unit
• Die-cast metal construction
Passenger car features:
• Opening doors and roofs
• Interior illumination • Stamped metal construction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Lionel Standard Gauge Commodore
Vanderbilt Set! Three tinplate Pullman
heavyweight cars follow the famous stream-
lined locomotive, equipped with TrainMaster
Command Control and the RailSounds
sound system.
“Standard of the World”
The following Lionel marks may be used throughout this instruction manual and are protected under law.
All rights reserved.
Lionel®, TrainMaster®, Odyssey®, RailSounds™, CrewTalk™, TowerCom™, DynaChuff™,
StationSounds™, Pullmor®, ElectroCoupler™, Magne-Traction®, CAB-1 Remote Controller®,
Powermaster®, Lionel ZW®, ZW®

Table of contents
3
Transformer operations
Running your steam locomotive with a Lionel transformer 4
“Latch” couplers 5
Locking your locomotive into a single operational state 6
Your locomotive’s RailSounds system—the basics/Battery installation 7-8
Notes on RailSounds 9
Experiencing the range of your locomotive’s RailSounds 9
Installing a Lionel sound activation button 10
TrainMaster Command operations
The Command Control environment 11
Running your locomotive in the TrainMaster Command environment 12
CAB-1 commands for your locomotive 13
RailSounds in the Command environment 14
CAB-1 numeric keypad commands for your locomotive 15
Tuning your locomotive’s performance 16
Assigning your locomotive a new ID# 17
Reprogramming Command reverse unit circuit boards to restore features 18
Maintaining your locomotive’s handrail antenna 18
Maintaining and servicing your locomotive and passenger cars
Lubricating your steam locomotive 19
Lubricating your passenger cars 20
Adding fluid to your locomotive’s smoke generator 21
Servicing your locomotive’s lamps 22
Servicing your passenger car lamps 23
Lionel Service 24

Transformer operations
Place your steam locomotive on 42˝ diameter or larger
Standard Gauge track.
•With track power OFF, connect the drawbar between the locomotive and tender.
as illustrated in Figure 1 below.
1
1
Running your steam locomotive with a Lionel transformer
Note: Before running your new Standard Gauge Commodore Vanderbilt set, it is important
that you lubricate all the wheels and axle assemblies of the passenger cars in order to provide
the best possible operation. See the illustration on page 20 for more information.
While this set will operate on 42” diameter track, we recommend using track with a
diameter of 72” for the best appearance and performance.
Note!
2
2
3
3
Power up your locomotive with your transformer.
• Your locomotive is designed to operate on 8-18 volts alternating
current. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible alternating-current trans-
formers are suitable.
•When you first power up your track, the locomotive will wait
between three and eight seconds as it “listens” for digital language from
the TrainMaster Command Base (available separately). When it’s determined that
it’s on a conventional (non-Command) railroad, the locomotive headlight will
illuminate and RailSounds will start up. At this point, the locomotive is in neutral.
(This occurs when placing the locomotive on your railroad for the first time.
Thereafter, it starts in forward after every three-second power interruption.)
•To experience all of your locomotive’s features, we recommend using
TrainMaster Command Control, available at your authorized Lionel dealer.
Do not power your locomotive with direct current (DC). Damage to
sensitive electronic components may occur.
Move ‘em out!
•Get your locomotive moving. Press the DIR button on your CAB-1 remote or
Lionel transformer. This sequences the Command reverse unit to the next operating
state.
•Adjust track voltage until your locomotive moves at your desired speed.
Note!
Figure 1. Drawbar connection
4

5
Transformer operations
“Latch” Couplers
Your Lionel Standard Gauge set utilizes “latch” couplers in order to be
compatible with previously manufactured
Lionel Standard Gauge products.
In order to couple the tender and cars
together with this latch sytstem, it is neces-
sary to lift the coupler arm on BOTH couplers
at the same time and then push cars together.
Refer to Figure 2 below.
Figure 2. Latch couplers

Transformer operations
To select a single operational state for your Lionel locomotive (example: forward
only), you can deactivate the Command
reverse unit’s sequencing function with the
reverse unit control switch, located on the
right hand side, underneath the cab. Refer to
Figure 3 for the switch location.
Get your locomotive moving in the desired
direction, then slow it down without stopping.
Set the Reverse unit control switch to PROG
while the engine is in motion. The locomotive
is now “locked” into your chosen direction.
When you no longer want single-direction
operation, just slide the Reverse unit control
switch back to RUN.
When powered down, the Command
reverse unit will reset to forward
after approximately five seconds, regardless
of the locked-out direction.
Locking your locomotive into a single operational state
6
Note!
SMOKE
ONOFF RAILSIGNAL
SMOKE
+
-
ONOFF
RAIL SIGNAL
RUN PROG
Reverse unit control switch
RAIL/SIGNAL
switch
Smoke Unit Switch
(see page 21 for details)
Volume Control Knob
Front
Rear
Figure 3. Switch location

7
Transformer operations
Your locomotive’s RailSounds system—the basics
Lionel RailSounds is the most realistic model railroad sound system in the
world. Your locomotive’s RailSounds features
digital samples for the ultimate in realism.
Begin by installing a 9-volt alkaline battery
in your locomotive. This ensures interrup-
tion-free operation of RailSounds. Access to
the battery holder in the locomotive is
achieved as follows:
• Turn the locomotive over onto a soft sur-
face to prevent any damage to the finish.
• Remove the four cab screws holding the
chassis to the cab. See Figure 5 on page 19.
• Set the chassis onto the drive wheels,
being careful of the wiring still connected
to the cab.
• Connect the 9-volt alkaline battery to the bat-
tery clip and place the battery into the holder
inside of the locomotive. (See Figure 4 on
page 8).
• Carefully reassemble the locomotive in
the opposite order of above, being careful
not to pinch any wires between the chassis
and the cab.
When you first apply track power, the loco-
motive’s RailSounds system produces sounds
of the locomotive at rest. As the locomotive
starts to move, chuffing begins and increases
with the locomotive’s speed.
To silence the steam chuff (whistle and bell
remain unaffected), slide the RAIL/SIGNAL
switch, located underneath the cab of the
locomotive, to the SIGNAL position before
powering up the locomotive. (See Figure 3 on
page 6.) The whistle is activated by using the
whistle lever or button on your transformer or
CAB-1. The volume control knob to raise or
lower the level of sound is located underneath
the rear truck near the Smoke Unit switch
(See Figure 3 on page 6).

REAR OF LOCOMOTIVE
Transformer operations
8
Your locomotive’s RailSounds system—the basics
Note!
Note!
Note!
Note!
Please remove the protective cover from the battery clip before installing the battery.
Although RailSounds is powered by track voltage, the battery is required for unin-
terrupted operation and shutdown sequences. Use only alkaline batteries.
Discontinue locomotive power for 10 seconds before changing the RAIL/SIGNAL
switch position.
If RailSounds “drops out” during track power interruptions (during direction
changes, switches, crossings, etc), replace the battery.
Figure 4. Battery installation

Transformer operations
9
Notes on RailSounds
• Listen for incidental locomotive sounds
during RailSounds operation. They’re
automatic and, of course, authentic.
• The 9-volt alkaline battery you installed
ensures continuous sounds, even during
short track-power interruptions.
• Longer track-power interruptions
(including locomotive derailments)
cause RailSounds to shut down after
about 7 seconds.
• For even more authentic RailSounds
effects, operate your locomotive in the
TrainMaster Command environment. See
pages 11-18 for details.
With RailSounds, you experience the sounds of real railroading like never
before. Simply put, it’s the most sophisticat-
ed, authentic model railroad sound system in
the world.
• Variable chuff rate. The speed of
your locomotive determines the steam
chuff rate.
• MultiWhistle. Different whistles
for different speeds—a RailSounds
exclusive.
• Authentic bell. Press BELL on your
CAB-1 or transformer to begin the effect,
again to discontinue. Even the final “hit”
is muted like the real thing.
• Reverse unit reset sound. Power
down your track, wait for 3-5 seconds,
and listen for the air-release sound—
that’s the locomotive telling you its
Command reverse unit has just reset to
forward operation.
• Shutdown sequence. No other model
railroad sound system shuts down like
RailSounds. Turn off track power, and
after the air-release reset sound, you have
two seconds to restart your locomotive. If
you’re done with operations, RailSounds
will commence with an authentic shut-
down sequence about two seconds after
the air-release reset occurs.
Experiencing the range of your locomotive’s RailSounds system
Note! A 9-volt alkaline battery must be
installed for the shutdown
sequence.

Transformer operations
Installing a Lionel Sound Activation Button
12
POWER
SUPPLY
A
POWER
SUPPLY
A
For AC transformers with a horn/whistle button
For AC transformers lacking a horn/whistle button
Existing wire Common/Ground/U
Power/A
Black wire
Red wire
Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for
activating the bell
Lionel no.
610-5906-001
SoundActivation
Button for whistle Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for bell
Black wire
Red wire
Red wire
The no. 610-5906-001 button works with any Lionel AC transformer except
no. 6-4690 Type MW. Transformers made by other manufacturers may not be
compatible with RailSounds.
Note!
To operate the bell and horn sounds when operating your locomotive with conven-
tional transformers, you’ll need to install a
Lionel no. 610-5906-001 Sound Activation
Button (available separately). Connect the
button(s) as shown below.
All track power must feed through
the Sound Activation Button. Do not
bypass the button.
Note!
Existing wire Common/Ground/U
Power/A
10