Lionel F3A User manual

Lionel
F3A Non-powered
Diesel Locomotive
Owner’s Manual
71-8134-250
9/02
®
featuring
Lionel
F3A Non-powered
Diesel Locomotive
Owner’s Manual

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Congratulations on your purchase of the Lionel F3A non-powered diesel
locomotive! This locomotive features an
ElectroCoupler and directional lighting.
Operate this unit in a lash-up with a
powered F3A or another locomotive.
Congratulations!
Features of this locomotive
• TrainMaster Command Control equipped
• Front headlight (directional operation)
• ElectroCoupler (in Command)
• Interior lighting
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®, PowerHouse®, TMCC™, Lionelville™

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Table of contents
Transformer operations
Operating your non-powered locomotive 4
Using your locomotive’s ElectroCouplers in the non-Command environment 5
TrainMaster Command operations
The CommandControl environment 6
Running your locomotive in the TrainMasterCommand environment 7
CAB-1 commands for your locomotive 7
Assigning your locomotive a new ID# 8
Maintaining and servicing your locomotive
Building a lash-up 9
Lubricating your locomotive 10
Replacing your locomotive’s lamps and LEDs 11
Limited Warranty/Lionel Service 12

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3
3Move ‘em out!
Get your train moving. Press the DIRECTION button on your Lionel
transformer. This sequences the Command reverse unit in the powered locomotive
to the next operating state.
Place your non-powered locomotive on Lionel or Lionel-
compatible O gauge track.
Couple this unit to any powered locomotive.
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2Power up your non-powered locomotive with your
transformer.
Your locomotive is designed to operate on 8-18 volts alternating
current. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible alternating-current
transformers are suitable.
Do not power your locomotive with direct current (DC). Damage to
sensitive electronic components may occur.
Your non-powered locomotive’s headlight will illuminate.
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1
Operating your non-powered locomotive
Transformer operations
Caution!
Operate your non-powered (non-motorized) A-unit with any powered locomotive. In the conventional (non-Command) environment, the headlight is always on.

Transformer operations
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Using your locomotive’s ElectroCoupler in the
non-Command environment
To uncouple rolling stock from your locomotive’s ElectroCoupler in the non-
Command environment, you must rely on a
piece of rolling stock equipped with Lionel
magnetic couplers coupled directly to your
locomotive’s ElectroCouples. The magnetic
coupler on the rolling stock will then react
to the magnetic field generated by a Lionel
Remote-Control or Uncoupling Track
section (available separately, 6-65530 for O
gauge, 6-65149 or 6-12746 for O-27
gauge). Place your rolling stock’s coupler
“trigger disc” over the central coil of a
Remote-Control or Uncoupling Track
section and press UNCOUPLE on the
controller. The magnetic field pulls the disc
downward, and the coupler opens.
Your locomotive’s
ElectroCoupler will NOT open
manually or by using a
Remote-Control Track section.
Magnetic coupler on the rolling stock coupled
to your locomotive
Note!
Remote-Control
Track section
Figure 1. Trigger disc operation

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TrainMaster Command operations
The Command Control environment
TrainMaster Command Control is the advanced model railroad control system
from Lionel. TrainMaster Command Control
gives you the power to operate multiple
Command-equipped locomotives on the
same track, at the same time.
To operate in Command mode, you
need a Command Base and a CAB-1
Remote Controller. Find them both at
your authorized Lionel retailer.
Place your locomotive on Lionel or
Lionel-compatible O gauge track.
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3Address your locomotive using CAB-1.
• Press ENG and 1 on the numeric keypad of your CAB-1. This command is sent
by CAB-1 to the Command Base, which then translates your command into
digital code. That code is sent around your railroad’s outside rails in the form of
a digital “halo.” All Command-equipped Lionel engines listen to this digital
communication, but they do not respond until they hear their individual ID
number—in this case, “1.”
• The digital language of TrainMaster Command—and not track
power—controls the actions of Command-equipped Lionel
engines.
• All Command locomotives come factory-programmed with an ID#
of “1.” To change the ID# of your locomotive, see page 7.
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4Move ‘em out!
• Throttle up or press any command button on the CAB-1. Your powered
locomotive will respond to your every command. Read on.
2
2Couple the non-powered F3A to any powered locomotive.
• Create a lash-up to prototypically operate the non-powered F3A.
See page 9.
• The non-powered F3A was designed to face away from the powered
locomotive (towards the rear of the train).
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1• Make sure track power is OFF before placing on the track.
• Make sure your Lionel Command Base is plugged-in and its
communications wire is connected to the COMMON post on your Lionel
transformer or the U terminal on any of your installed PowerMasters.
• Once positioned on the track, increase track voltage to FULL (no more
than 20 volts). On PowerMasters, slide the CMD/CONV switch to CMD.

Running your locomotive in the TrainMaster Command environment
Your Command-equipped
locomotive comes factory-
programmed with an ID# of “1.” To
get your locomotive in action, set
PowerMasters to CMD or set all power
supplies on full (no more than 20
volts). Press ENG and “1” on your
CAB-1. Turn the throttle or press any
command button; your locomotive is
ready for Command operations.
Address Locomotive #1
Set PowerMaster to CMD or traditional
power supplies to full throttle (no more
than 20 volts)
Press ENG
Press 1 (the ID#)
Throttle up/press any command button
Example
CAB-1 commands for your locomotive
Press DIR to turn on
the headlights.
Because this
locomotive faces the rear of the
train, the headlight is on when
the train is in reverse.
TrainMaster Command operations
SET L M H
Beneath this panel
Rear coupler
releases.
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Press AUX2 to
turn your
locomotive’s
headlights on
and off.
This unit was
designed to run
backward. The
rear of this
locomotive is
actually the cab
end.
Note!

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TrainMaster Command operations
Assign a new ID# to your
Command-equipped
locomotive
Set the Command reverse unit switch to
PGM
Command Base plugged in
Place the locomotive on track
PowerMasters set to CMD or traditional
power supplies ON FULL (no more than
20 volts)
Turn track power on (PowerMasters):
Press BOOST
Program the locomotive with a new ID#:
Press ENG
Press a number you choose
(the ID#)
Press SET
Set the Command reverse unit switch to
RUN
Your locomotive remembers its ID#
forever; change it any time with these
steps
Example
We recommend that you choose an easy to
remember ID# for your engine. Some possi-
bilities are part of the engine road number,
your age, or any two digit number that is not
used by another engine. Write the number on a
small piece of tape and put this on the bottom
of the fuel tank to aid in remembering.
As your fleet of Command-equipped Lionel locomotives grows, you’ll want
to give your locomotive a more
individualized number. Choose from any
between 1 and 99. To make things easy, use
a portion of your locomotive’s cab number.
Set the locomotive’s Command reverse
unit switch to PGM (Figure 2 below). Plug
in the Command Base and place the
locomotive on track, then power up. Using
CAB-1, press ENG, the locomotive ID# that
you select and then press the SET button
located under CAB-1’s removable panel. Set
the Command reverse unit switch to RUN.
Your locomotive is ready for operations with
its all-new ID#.
Assigning your non-powered locomotive a new ID#
Figure 2. Switch location
RUN
PGM

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TrainMaster Command operations
When your non-powered locomotive has been programmed as part of a lash-up with a number of Command-equipped powered or non-powered locomotives, the locomotives
will respond together, allowing the headlights and back-up lights to operate prototypically.
The direction of the train will indicate which headlights are on.
To build a lash-up, assign a unique engine (ENG) ID# to each unit. Arrange the units on
the track and couple them together. The Command reverse unit switches must be set to
RUN/FORWARD.
If you press a wrong button, start over with that particular unit the assignment isn’t
saved until you press SET on the CAB-1.
Start with the powered unit.
1. On your CAB-1 remote controller, press TR, then enter your lash-up ID# (1-9).
No other track or lash-up should be assigned that ID#.
2. Enter the lead unit’s unique ID#, then press F.
3. Press SET beneath the front panel of the CAB-1.
Complete the lash-up by adding the non-powered unit.
1. On your CAB-1 remote controller, press TR, then enter your lash-up ID# (1-9).
2. Enter the last unit’s unique ID#, then press R.
3. Press SET beneath the front panel of the CAB-1.
Only the ElectroCouplers at the front of the lead unit and at the rear of the last unit
will operate when the locomotives are addressed as a lash-up. Any ElectroCouplers
located between the locomotives will not function when you address the lash-up.
Building a lash-up
Note!
Note!
Note!

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Maintaining and servicing your locomotive
Lubricating your locomotive
Help your Lionel locomotive lead a long and productive life on your railroad by
maintaining it properly.
We recommend that you purchase a
Lionel Lubrication and Maintenance Kit
(no. 6-62927), available from your Lionel
dealer. Two basic rules to keep in mind:
never over-lubricate (a small amount will
do), and avoid getting grease or oil on the
locomotive’s wheels or your track. You’ll
know your locomotive requires lubrication
when visual inspection reveals dryness on
the parts indicated in Figure 3. Remove
accumulated dirt and dust before
lubricating, and always lubricate any
locomotive emerging from prolonged
storage.
Lubricate with Lionel oil
sparingly
Lubricate with Lionel oil
sparingly
Lubricate with Lionel oil
sparingly
Lubricate with Lionel oil
sparingly
Underside of F3 non-powered A-unit
Figure 3. Lubrication points