Lionel Norfolk & Western A Class User manual

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Lionel Articulated
2-6-6-4 Norfolk & Western
‘A’ Class
Steam Locomotive and Tender
Owner’s Manual

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Table of contents
Transformer operations
Running your Lionel ‘A’ Class with a Lionel transformer 3
Locking your ‘A’ Class into a single operational state 4
Using your ‘A’ Class’ tender-mounted ElectroCoupler 4
Your ‘A’ Class’ RailSounds system—the basics 5
Experiencing the range of your ‘A’ Class’ RailSounds system 6
Notes on RailSounds 6
Installing the Lionel Sound Activation Button 7
TrainMaster Command operations
Your ‘A’ Class in the TrainMaster Command environment 8
CAB-1 commands for your ‘A’ Class 9
RailSounds in the Command environment 10
CAB-1 numeric keypad commands for your ‘A’ Class 10
Tuning your ‘A’ Class’ performance 11
Maintaining your ‘A’ Class’ handrail antenna 11
Assigning your ‘A’ Class a new ID# 12
Reprogramming R2LC circuit board to restore features 12
Maintaining and servicing your ‘A’ Class
Lubricating your ‘A’ Class 13
Replacing your ‘A’ Class’ lamps 14
Adding fluid to your ‘A’ Class’ smoke generator 15
Installing ‘O’ gauge front coupler 15
Lionel Service 16
• Powerful Pittman®motor
• R2IR reverse unit for use with the
Lionel TrainMaster®CommandTM
model railroad control system
• Smoke generator that produces
clean, safe and realistic smoke
• Die-cast ElectroCoupler
(rear of tender)
• Wireless Tether
• Lighted cab interior
• RailSoundsTM digital
sound system
• Brilliant Headlight and Marker
Lights
• CrewTalk (in Command)
• TowerCom (in Command)
• Tire Traction
• Directional lighting
• Fire Box Glow
You own one of the most sophisticated model trains ever built—the Lionel
TrainMaster®Command-equipped ‘A’ Class.
From its hand-applied scale details to the
advanced technology found inside, your ‘A’
Class is ready for duty on your model rail-
road layout. Experience the superiority of
today’s Lionel.
Congratulations!

Transformer operations
3
Running your Lionel ‘A’ Class with a Lionel transformer
Place your ‘A’ Class on Lionel or
Lionel-compatible O-54 or larger track.
• With track power OFF, connect the drawbar between locomotive and tender.
That’s all you have to do with Lionel’s new Wireless Tether®, an infrared communi-
cation system that eliminates the plugs and wires of the past.
NOTE: Your ‘A’ Class is designed to operate on minimum 0-54 diameter track.
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3
Power up your ‘A’ Class with your transformer.
•Your ‘A’ Class is designed to operate on 8-18 volts alternating cur-
rent. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible alternating-current transformers
are suitable; we recommend the TrainMaster Command model railroad control
system.
•Do not power your ‘A’ Class with direct current (DC). Damage to sensi-
tive electronic components may occur.
•When you first power up your track, the ‘A’ Class 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 ‘A’ Class’ headlight will illumi-
nate and RailSounds will start up. At this point, the ‘A’ Class is in neutral. (This
occurs when placing the locomotive on your railroad for the first time. Thereafter, it
starts in forward after every three-secondpowerinterrupt.)
Note!
Move ‘em out!
•Get your ‘A’ Class moving. Press the DIR button on your CAB-1 remote or
Lionel transformer. This sequences the R2IR to the next operating state.
•Adjust track voltage until your ‘A’ Class moves at your desired speed.
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1

Using your ‘A’ Class tender’s ElectroCoupler
in the non-Command environment
To use your ‘A’ Class tender’s Electro- Coupler in the non-Command environ-
ment, you must first couple a piece of rolling
stock equipped with Lionel magnetic cou-
plers directly to your ‘A’ Class tender’s rear
ElectroCoupler. The magnetic coupler on the
rolling stock will then react to the magnetic
field generated by a Lionel remote-control
track section (available separately). Place
your rolling stock’s coupler “trigger disc”
over the central coil of a remote-control
track section and press uncouple on the con-
troller. The magnetic field pulls the disc
downward, and the coupler opens.
Your ‘A’ Class tender’s
ElectroCoupler will NOT open
manually or by using a remote-
control track section
Magnetic coupler on the rolling stock coupled
to the rear of your‘A’ Class tender
Note!
Remote-control
track section
4
Transformer operations
To select a single operational state for
your Lionel ‘A’ Class (example: forward
only), you can deactivate the R2IR’s
sequencing function with the Program/Run
switch, located on the right hand side, under
the boiler casting.
Get your locomotive moving in the desired
direction, then slow it down without stop-
ping. Set the Program/Run switch to PROG.
The ‘A’ Class is now “locked” into your cho-
sen direction.
When you no longer want single-direction
operation, just slide the Program/Run switch
back to RUN.
Locking your ‘A’ Class into a single operational state
Program/Run Switch
Smoke Unit Switch
(see page 15 for details)

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Note!
Note!
Note!
Note!
Your ‘A’ Class’ RailSounds system—the basics
Lionel RailSounds is the most realistic model railroad sound system in the
world. Your ‘A’ Class features digital samples
from real-life steam locomotives for the ulti-
mate in realism.
Begin by installing a 9-volt alkaline bat-
tery in the tender. This ensures interruption-
free operation of RailSounds. The battery clip
is located in the tender. To remove the tender
body, refer to the diagram on page 6 for loca-
tion of mounting screws
When you first apply track power, the ‘A’
Class’ RailSounds system produces sounds of
the locomotive at rest. As the ‘A’ Class moves,
chuffing begins, increasing with the locomo-
tive’s speed.
To silence the steam chuffing sound
(whistle/bell are unaffected), slide the
RailSounds switch, located on the underside
of the tender (see page 6 for location), to the
OFF position before powering up the loco-
motive. The whistle is activated by using the
lever or button on your transformer or CAB-
1. The volume control knob to raise or lower
the level of sound is located on the under-
side of the tender near the front truck (see
page 6).
Installing a 9-volt alkaline bat-
tery in your ‘A’ Class’ tender.
Please remove protective cover from battery clip
Although RailSounds is powered by track voltage, the battery is required for
uninterrupted operation and shutdown sequences. Use only alkaline batteries.
Discontinue locomotive power for 10 seconds before changing the RailSounds
ON/OFF switch position.
If RailSounds “drops out” during track power interrupts (direction change),
replace the battery.

6
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. And remember—coming from
inside your Lionel ‘A’ Class’ tender are the
authentic sounds of the RailSounds digital
sound system. No other electric train can
offer you authentic sounds. That’s the
power of Lionel.
• Variable chuff rate. Your ‘A’ Class’
speed determines the steam chuff rate.
• MultiWhistleTM. Different whistles
every time—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 ‘A’ Class telling you its R2IR
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 ‘A’ Class. If
you’re done with operations, RailSounds
will commence with an authentic shut-
down sequence about two seconds after
the air-release reset occurs.
NOTE: Battery must be installed for shut-
down sequence.
Experiencing the range of your ‘A’ Class’ RailSounds system
Notes on RailSounds
• Use the volume control dial, located on the
underside of the tender, to adjust sound
output.
• Listen for incidental engine 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 interrupts.
• Longer track-power interruptions (includ-
ing locomotive derailments) cause Rail-
Sounds to shut down after about 7 seconds.
• For even more authentic RailSounds
effects, operate your ‘A’ Class in the
TrainMaster Command environment. See
page 8-10 for details.
Transformer operations
Tender Body
Screw
Tender Body
Screw
Tender Body
Screw
Tender Body
Screw
Rear
Front
RailSounds
On/Off
Switch
RailSounds
volume
control
Tender
Body
Screw
Tender
Body
Screw

Installing the Lionel Sound Activation Button
LIONEL
SOUND
ACTIVATION
BUTTON
12
12
LIONEL
SOUND
ACTIVATION
BUTTON
LIONEL
SOUND
ACTIVATION
BUTTON
For AC transformers with a horn/whistle button
For AC transformers lacking a horn/whistle button
Attach to ground terminal
Attach to power terminal
Customer’s wire
Black wire
Red wire
Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for
activating the bell
To your transformer
Lionel no.
610-5906-001
SoundActivation
Button for
whistle Lionel no. 610-5906-001
SoundActivation Button for bell
Black wire
Red wire
Red wire
Attach to ground
terminal
Attach topower
terminal
To your transformer
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 com-
patible with RailSounds.
Note!
To operate the bell and whistle sounds when operating your ‘A’ Class with con-
ventional transformers, you’ll need to install
the Lionel no. 610-5906-001 Sound Activation
Button (available separately). Connect the
button(s) as shown below.
7
Note! All track power must
feed through Sound
Activation Button. Do
not bypass button.

8
Your ‘A’ Class in the TrainMaster Command environment
Lionel TrainMaster Command is the fun and sophisticated model railroad con-
trol system from Lionel. Your ‘A’ Class fea-
tures the R2IR reverse unit, which acts as
both a conventional reverse unit as well as
the key to unlocking many extra features
when you operate in Command mode.
TrainMaster Command gives you the
power to operate multiple Command-
equipped locomotives on the same track, at
the same time. It’s the most fun you can
have with electric trains, and it’s incredibly
easy too! Just follow the directions below and
you’ll be on your way.
To operate in Command mode, you
need a Command Base and a CAB-1
remote. Find them both at your authorized
Lionel retailer.
Place your ‘A’ Class on Lionel or
Lionel-compatible O-54 or larger track.
• Make sure track power is OFF before placing it on track.
• Make sure your Lionel Command Base is ON and its communica-
tions 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 (on
PowerMaster, slide the CMD/CONV switch to CMD).
Address your ‘A’ Class with CAB-1.
• Press ENG and 1 on the numeric keypad of your CAB-1 remote. This
command is sent by CAB-1 to the Command Base, which then translates
your commands into digital code. That code is sent around your railroad’s
outside rails in the form of a digital “halo.” All Command-equipped Lionels
listen to this digital communication, but they do not respond until they
hear their own ID number.
• The digital language of TrainMaster Command—and not track power—
controls the actions of Command-equipped Lionels. Track power is simply
like gasoline in the tank of your car—it gives you the power to go places,
but it doesn’t tell you where to go or how fast to get there.
• All Command-equipped Lionels come factory-programmed
with an ID# of “1.” To change your ‘A’ Class’ ID#, see page 12.
Move ‘em out!
•Throttle up or press any command button on CAB-1. Your ‘A’ Class
will respond to your every command. Read on. The fun is just beginning!
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TrainMaster Command operations

Tender rear coupler
releases.
Coupler release
sounds.
9
Press AUX2 to turn
your ‘A’ Class’ head-
light on and off.
Press WSTL/HRN to
activate the ‘A’ Class’
whistle, release to dis-
continue. Multi-
Whistle steam
whistle sound.
Press DIR—the loco-
motive decelerates to a
complete stop; turn the
throttle up, and the loco-
motive moves in the
opposite direction. There
is no neutral. Steam
air-release sound.
Press BELL once to
activate the bell, again
to discontinue.
Traditional bell
sound.
PressHALT to shut down all
PowerMaster electrical out-
put on your railroad. Stops
all Command-equipped
Lionels in
operation.
Turn the THROTTLE to
the right to accelerate,
left to decelerate.
Speed-dependent
variable steam
chuffing.
DynaChuff dynamic
chuffing effect.
CAB-1 commands for your ‘A’ Class
Press and hold BOOST for
extra power. Release
BOOST and return to the
locomotive’s previous
speed. Labored chuff.
Press and hold BRAKE to slow down or stop. ReleaseBRAKE and
return to the previous speed. Squealing brake sounds.
‘A’ Class RailSounds
effects in bold italic
Running your ‘A’ Class in the TrainMaster
Command environment
Your Command-equipped ‘A’ Class comes factory-pro-
grammed with an ID# of “1.” To
get your ‘A’ Class into action, set
PowerMasters to CMD or set all
power supplies on full. Press ENG
and “1” on CAB-1. Turn the
throttle or press any command
button; RailSounds starts up.
Your ‘A’ Class is ready for
Command operations.
Address Locomotive #1
PowerMasters set to CMD or traditional
power supplies ON FULL
Press ENG
Press 1 (the ID#)
Throttle up/press any command button
Example

10
When you press AUX1 on CAB-1, you turn the numeric key-
pad into 10 command buttons.
The keypad “stays open” and gives
you access to extra command fea-
tures until you press any top-row
button (SW, ACC, RTE, TR, or
ENG). The CAB-1 keypad overlay includ-
ed with your ‘A’ Class is designed to
help you learn the auxiliary fea-
tures specific to this classic loco-
motive.
‘A’ Class RailSounds effects
in bold italic.
CAB-1 numeric keypad commands for your ‘A’ Class
STEAM ENGINE
RESET
VOLUME
SMOKE
➠
BLOW
OFF
SHUT
DOWN
OFF ON
STEAM
RELEASE
PRESS
& HOLD
SMOKE
BOOST
➠
START-UP
CREW
TALK
TOWER
COM
0Stops and resets the ‘A’ Class to FOR- WARD. Whistle blows. Headlight
flickers.
1Raises the volume of RailSounds. Sound volume increases.
2CrewTalk™ is the sound of unintelligi- ble walkie-talkie communication.
3Starts up RailSounds. Start-up sequence commences. Steam
blowoff sound.
4Lowers the volume of RailSounds. Sound volume decreases.
5Activates the RailSounds steam shut- down sequence. Just like the real thing,
your ‘A’ Class must be idle for shutdown
to occur. Steam shutdown com-
mences. Remember, the whistle and bell
will not sound until you restart RailSounds.
CrewTalk sounds
6Steam release sound.
7TowerCom™is an audible announce- ment that includes that engine’s road
number and/or name. There is a four sec-
ond delay in this function.
8Turns off the smoke generator. CrewTalk sounds
9Turns on the smoke generator. Press and hold 9 (10 seconds maximum) to initi-
ate Smoke Boost™—it superheats the smoke
generator and enhances smoke output when
you start running your ‘A’ Class. CrewTalk
sounds
RailSounds in the Command environment
Your ‘A’ Class’ RailSounds system gives you even more in the TrainMaster
Command environment.
• DynaChuffTM. Real steam locomotive
chuffing depends on the locomotive’s load.
DynaChuff simulates both labored and
relaxed chuffing sounds. Highball down the
mainline and hear the labored chuffing of a
locomotive battling inertia. Reduce your
throttle setting, and chuffing relaxes to a
more sedate sound, as though the load
placed on the ‘A’ Class has decreased.
Experience DynaChuff on steep grades, at
yard crawls, and at speed. Another
RailSounds exclusive.
• Bonus sounds like squealing brakes
with the CAB-1 BRAKE command.
• Incidental sounds you control with
CAB-1 numeric keypad commands, like
steam let-off and steam release effects.
TrainMaster Command operations