Rapido Trains Amtrak NPCU F40PH User manual

OPERATOR’S
MANUAL
MODERNIZED F40PH MANUAL ON REVERSE

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AMTRAK NPCU “CABBAGE” PRODUCT GUIDELINES
Thank you for purchasing this model of Amtrak’s NPCU (Non-Powered Control Unit)
locomotive. Our NPCU is based on those built from former F40PH locomotives to act as
cab controls for push-pull operation. The most striking change is the addition of a roll-up
door on either side of the body.
In railroad parlance, the NPCUs are colloquially known as “cabbages” (a catchy blend
of the word “cab” and “baggage”). Since they’re officially known as NPCU and not
something you would find in your supermarket produce section, throughout the manual
we’ll use the 4-letter initialism. We’ll also refer to it as a locomotive too, much as we’re
sure many will argue it is most certainly not.
We’ve put a lot of thought into making this model accurately represent those found on
Amtrak’s network from coast to coast. Well, almost. Our model does one thing the real
one was designed not to do, and that’s run on its own. Yes, we put a motor in there.
We’ll explain that decision later. We will also do our best to avoid using foreign spelling
in this manual, but since we’re sometimes referred to as “foreigners”, we can’t avoid it
completely. Chances are we’ll miss a few plugs about snow, igloos and maybe a beaver
as well. Sorry, eh?
There is always the possibility that you’ve found something wrong with your locomotive.
Maybe a loose grab iron; maybe there’s a fingerprint on the model; or perhaps it
actually doesn’t run on its own. Whatever it is, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
More warranty information is available towards the back of this manual.
Please do not send any models back to us for repair without first speaking to us to get
authorization. If it’s the year 2107 and you’ve opened this box for the first time because
you finally got around to building that second layout you said you’d build way back in
2025 (even though you never did finish the first one), then chances are we’ve all been
turned to compost by now. You can try calling us, but we can’t promise telephones
will still work in the same manner, if at all. Someone may still have one of those old
indestructible flip phones from the late 90s, but again, no promises. We’re at least
hoping that model railroading will still be a thing in 2107.
CONTACT US!
Rapido Trains Inc.
P.O. Box 796
Higganum, Connecticut
06441 United States
Tel. [phone] Toll Free. 1-855-LRC-6917
Fax. [phone]
Email. [email protected]

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DCC QUICK START FOR PEOPLE WHO
DON’T LIKE READING MANUALS
OK – We know that more than half of our customers will not read this manual and then
call us complaining when their NPCU is doing something it shouldn’t (or not doing
something it should). It does, but they didn’t read the manual. Unless it starts making
pancakes. In which case, call us because everyone at the office really likes pancakes.
But if you have got this far and you are really impatient to get your locomotive on the
track, please take note of the following.
Because your NPCU may be paired with one of our F40PH locomotives – which feature
a simulated HEP system – We’ve incorporated that same functionality with the NPCU to
get around the fact that not all DCC systems are the same. This means:
1. To operate your NPCU paired with a Rapido F40PH – or another locomotive that
features Rapido’s simulated HEP functionality – on a DCC layout, you need to
press F4 and then F5 before you start accelerating.
If you press F4 but don’t press F5, YOUR LOCOMOTIVE WILL NOT MOVE.
That’s right – the locomotive will NOT move when just F4 is pressed. Press F5 if
you want it to move. Those of you who read the rest of the manual will find out
why. If you have a really short attention span and you simply can’t read manuals
then you can wonder about this odd feature for the rest of your life, or until
someone explains that part of the manual in a subtle tone.
2. To operate your NPCU paired with any other locomotive that does not feature
Rapido’s simulated HEP functionality, then don’t press F4 or F5. Ever. It’ll just work
like a regular locomotive.
3. The rear (backup) light will only go on when you are switching cars. It won’t go
on when you are backing up, just like the real thing.
4. If you are running DC, just go play trains. Whatever sounds come out are what
you get. And the rear (backup) light will never go on, just like the re... ok not
like the real thing. Not that we’re trying to convince you to upgrade to DCC or
anything…
You can read more about these weird features, along with our reasons for introducing
them, in the Prototypical Operation – DCC section on page 9.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DCC Quick Start for People who don’t like Reading Manuals ..................................3
Break-In ............................................................................................................5
What Do You Mean It’s Powered?........................................................................5
Checking and Adjusting Your Locomotive.............................................................. 5
Missing or Damaged Parts ..................................................................................6
Removing the Shell.............................................................................................6
Operation – DC (Silent) ......................................................................................7
Installing a DCC Decoder....................................................................................7
Operation – DC (Sound) ..................................................................................... 8
Prototypical Operation – DCC (Sound) .................................................................9
• HEP Mode: Consisting .........................................................................10
• Locomotive Address .............................................................................10
• Turn On the Sound ............................................................................... 10
• Functions ............................................................................................11
• Functions: More Information...................................................................11
• Sound Volume Settings .........................................................................14
• Factory Reset ......................................................................................16
• Awesome Slow Speed Thingy ...............................................................16
• More Information ................................................................................16
Limited Lifetime Warranty .................................................................................17
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................17
Notes .............................................................................................................18
AMTRAK NPCU DCC FUNCTION QUICK REFERENCE
F0 HEADLIGHT
F1 BELL
F2 HORN (AND BELL)
F3 DOPPLER HORN
F4 GO INTO/OUT OF “STANDBY”
F5 GO INTO/OUT OF “RUN”
F6 DITCH LIGHTS
F7 DIM THE HEADLIGHTS
F8 AIR CONDITIONER
F9 FRONT MARKER LIGHTS
F10 STROBE LIGHTS
F11 DOORS OPENING/CLOSING
F12 HOSTLER (SWITCHING) LIGHTING
F16 TURN OFF NUMBERBOARDS

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BREAK-IN
No, we don’t mean you should break into your brother-in-law’s layout room so you can
take his Rapido NPCU, because then he would have to wye the train for the return trip. It
would also be a crime. Don’t ever steal someone else’s model trains. Support the hobby
and go buy your own, because the world needs more Rapido NPCUs.
Every locomotive needs a break-in period. Your NPCU has been tested at the factory...
for about 27.1 seconds. That is not enough time to get the gears to mesh nicely or to
even out any jerky operation in a new motor. We suggest that, after reading this manual,
you put your NPCU on a test loop and just let it run in each direction for an hour or two.
Yes it will look ridiculous running on its own, so don’t laugh. It has feelings too you know!
Run it fast and slow. If your layout has not been built yet, or you don’t have any track to
run it on, you can probably skip this step for the time being.
There already should be enough grease in the gearbox so you don’t need to add any
more. Just let the thing run.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S POWERED?
Right from the beginning when we announced the NPCU, people asked us why we were
powering it. The truth is, when accounting for the decoder, lighting, electronics and all
the time invested by our staff on the project, adding a motor and gears to a locomotive
adds less than a dollar to the cost of each unit. So you’d be paying almost as much for
a dummy engine.
With that in mind, most passenger trains can be upwards of 7 or 8 cars, which can
become a struggle for most locomotives on the market today when taking into account
grades, curves, or both at the same time. So we opted to power the NPCU so you
can get that extra “oomph” of power so your fleet of Amsleds will be no match for
your motive power. But don’t worry, there’s no prime mover sound like the rest of the
locomotives on the market. Read on about that.
If you really want your NPCU to truly be unpowered, just remove the motor, driveshaft
and if you’re savvy enough, the intermediate gears (not the axle gears) inside each
truck. This will ensure your unit rolls freely. We’re not sure why you would want to do
this, but to each their own.
CHECKING AND ADJUSTING YOUR LOCOMOTIVE
We try and make sure that every locomotive is perfectly up to spec before it leaves
the factory, but if the karaoke was particularly good the night before your model was
assembled there may be a couple of bugs. Doing a quick pre-service check will solve
most operational glitches.

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• Check to see that all wheelsets are correctly in gauge using an NMRA RP-2
Standards Gauge. Should any of the wheelsets be out of gauge, than remove the
affected wheelset from the truck by prying off the bottom lid of the gearbox with
a small flat screwdriver. The wheelset can be regauged by grabbing each wheel
and twisting. Reverse the steps to replace the wheelset, and ensure the gearbox
cover is snapped into place before placing on the track.
• Check that all underbody piping and appliances are firmly installed and clear of
the track. Of particular note are the air hoses on the ends of the locomotive and
both coupler trip pins. Bend up any low coupler trip pins so they don’t interfere
with your switches and crossings. We recommend using Kadee part #237 (Trip
Pin Pliers) or Micro-Mark part #80600 (Trip Pin Bending Plier).
• Make sure that the trucks swivel freely and without binding. If they catch on any-
thing, check to ensure that the ends of the trucks don’t bind against the steps. If
they do, see that everything is firmly installed.
MISSING OR DAMAGED PARTS
If you open your NPCU box and discover that something has obviously been bumped in
transit and is damaged, please contact us. We know that some of you don’t like to touch
your models, but if it is a matter of gluing a grab iron back on you can do it yourself in
less than a minute with a drop of white glue. If you really want to send your model back
to us for us to install that grab iron, we would be happy to. But if you do send it back
to us for us to put that one part back on and other stuff falls off when we send it back to
you, then you are on your own.
If there are big gaping holes where grab irons obviously fell out and no such grab irons
in the box, then please give us a shout as that should not be the case! More information
about our limited lifetime warranty can be found towards the end of this manual.
REMOVING THE SHELL
If you need to open up your NPCU (to install a crew, install a decoder, verify that it really
does have a motor, etc.) it is actually quite easy to do. Just be sure to remember these
important points:
• We have a transporter lock on the molecular pattern of your NPCU. If something
pops off while you are removing the shell, our state-of-the-art transporters will au-
tomatically lock on to the little part and beam it directly into the Dead Letter Office
of your postal system. Don’t bother looking for it. It’s gone. You might hear the
transporter effect as the part is beamed away. I know it would have been more
useful for us to beam the part back onto your workbench but someone spilled their
coffee all over the computer that controls the transporter. We think it was Josh and
his 5th daily cup of coffee.

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• To that end, please make every effort to ensure nothing flies away. Work on a
clean, white surface. In fact, paint all the walls, the floor and the ceiling white,
wear white coveralls, and remove everything else from within a three-mile radius
of your workbench, especially (but not limited to) buildings, vehicles and sky.
• Turn the locomotive upside down in a foam cradle (painted white, of course) and
remove the coupler screws. Pull the coupler boxes out of the ends and turn the
loco right-way up. Now wiggle the shell off. Carefully. Remember the transporter
lock.
• That’s it, really.
• No, really.
OPERATION – DC (SILENT)
Put the NPCU on the track. Make it go. That’s it.
In DC operation, the only lights that work are the headlights (when going forward)
and the front red marker lights (when going in reverse). The light on the rear of the
locomotive is only used when switching and cannot be turned on using a DC controller.
If you are new to the hobby (or just like to occasionally “play trains”) and you have a
DC-powered train set, please contact us before operating your NPCU as it may not be
safe (for your engine and/or your wallet) for you to use your controller.
Some train set throttles put out a very high maximum voltage that is not suitable for scale
model trains. The maximum recommended voltage is 16 volts DC. Similarly, controllers
designed for large scale trains put out a much higher voltage than your NPCU can
handle.
If you use a train set throttle or a throttle designed for large scale trains, your locomotive’s
circuitry may end up looking like burnt scrambled eggs left in the pan too long. In such
situations, we’ll try our best to fix it for you. But we may have to charge you for the
replacement parts and/or the labor involved. That’s because you didn’t read this bit of
the manual.
INSTALLING A DCC DECODER
The NPCU contains an ESU-designed motherboard which is connected to the track,
motor and lighting outputs. A blind plug is attached to the motherboard using a 21-pin
connector. To install a decoder, remove the blind plug and install a 21-pin decoder.
At the time of writing, we recommend the following 21-pin decoder:
• ESU #54615 - LokPilot V4.0 DCC with 21MTC

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We feel the 21-pin connectors are superior because there are enough pins to ensure that
all your lighting functions are connected. The necessary resistors are included on our
ESU-designed motherboard so you don’t have to futz around with resistors. Just plug in
the recommended decoder and you have DCC.
ESU has made an NPCU function mapping which can be downloaded into their non-
sound decoder (54615) so that the function buttons and motor control are exactly the
same as our factory-released sound versions. This is available for download on the NPCU
page in the Support section of our web site. You will need an ESU LokProgrammer to
write the function mapping to the 54615 decoder. If you don’t have a LokProgrammer,
you can adjust CVs in the usual way.
If you have F40PH locomotives from other manufacturers that you’re using as stand-ins
for NPCUs, sell them and buy actual NPCUs. If you are not in a position to do that,
sell your other models and buy more of our NPCUs. If you insist on keeping your old,
not-nearly-as-awesome-as-our-model F40s as mere stand-ins, you can buy Rapido/ESU
NPCU sound decoders from Rapido’s web site.
OPERATION – DC (SOUND)
To operate your sound-equipped NPCU locomotive on a DC layout, just give the throttle
some juice. The engine will start up once sufficient voltage has been reached (around seven
volts). See the note above (in Operation – DC (Silent)) about using train-set or large-
scale throttles. With DC layouts, you have very little control over the sounds of your model.
WARNING: If you have purchased a sound-equipped NPCU and you
operate your trains with a Model Rectifier Corporation RailPower
1300-series DC controller, stop what you are doing immediately. Do not
pass Go. Do not collect $200. The RailPower 1300 is notorious for voltage
spikes and it WILL destroy your locomotive. There is no “if” about it. We
will not repair any NPCU destroyed by a 1300 or any other “train set”
DC controller. “Train set” DC controllers should not be used with sound-
equipped locomotives.
The only lights that work in DC are the headlights and strobe lights (when going forward)
and the front red marker lights (when going in reverse). You also can’t turn the flashing
strobes off in DC either. Still happy that you haven’t switched to DCC? The light on the
rear of the locomotive is only used when switching and cannot be turned on using a DC
controller. Sorry. Your buddy with the DCC layout can turn that light on and off as many
times as they like. The number boards and step lights are always lit.
Some throttle manufacturers produce special doo-dads which are meant to trigger the
sounds in locomotives on DC layouts. As we have no involvement in the development
of those doo-dads, we have absolutely no idea how they will affect your NPCU, for
good or for ill. As always, we’ll try to help you fix your NPCU if one of these doo-dads

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converts your locomotive’s circuitry into something that looks like a bowl of burnt grits,
but we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to.
If you like running sound-equipped locomotives and advanced lighting features, you
might want to think about upgrading to DCC.
If you want a taste of what you are missing, please read on…
PROTOTYPICAL OPERATION – DCC (SOUND)
Our NPCU is designed to operate with both standard locomotives from those “other
manufacturers” as well as the Rapido F40PH and LRC locomotives, both of which feature
simulated HEP (Head End Power) systems.
OPERATION WITH A REGULAR LOCOMOTIVE
If the power on the other end of your train is a locomotive from one of those “other
manufactuers” – which does not feature a simulated HEP system – then your NPCU will
work just the same. Advancing the throttle will make your NPCU move just like any other
regular locomotive on your layout. and you’re off to the races. It’s that easy.
OPERATION WITH HEP-SIMULATED (RAPIDO) LOCOMOTIVE
If the power for your train is a Rapido F40PH (or for whatever reason, a Rapido LRC)
then simply replicate its operation with your NPCU.
Press F4 to put your NPCU/F40PH consist into Standby. The prime mover of the F40PH
will rev up to 720 RPM to simulate providing power to the train, but not to the traction
motors. All you need to remember is that when in Standby mode, YOUR LOCOMOTIVES
WILL NOT MOVE, EVEN IF YOU ADVANCE THE THROTTLE.
With your NPCU/F40PH consist in Standby, you can put it into Run by pressing F5. This
simulates the engine revving to the full 893 RPM, providing power to both the train and
the traction motors.
For a quick overview that explains how a real F40PH locomotive works, flip this manual
over and read the Head End Power is the Key section of the Modernized F40PH
manual. It explains how the HEP system is designed to work.
IMPORTANT: IF YOU DON’T FIRST PRESS F4, PRESSING F5 WILL HAVE NO EFFECT.
To go back down to Standby, press F5 again – you are essentially “turning off” the Run
mode on the decoder. Then press F4 again to “turn off” the Standby mode and go back
down to Idle. If you are in Run and you don’t need to go into Standby, press F5 and F4
quickly, in that order. The consist will skip Standby and go straight down to Idle.

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HEP MODE: CONSISTING
Every DCC system treats consisting a little bit differently. On some systems, you will
need to put your locomotives into Run before you consist them. On most systems, you
can decide which functions are controlled by consist address so you can switch all of
your units into Run simultaneously. This is the main reason why we simulated HEP in a
locomotive that doesn’t have HEP at all.
LOCOMOTIVE ADDRESS
Your Rapido NPCU comes from the factory with a decoder address of 3. 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 NPCU 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 DCC your system to a newer version.
Your mobile phone is updated regularly. Your DCC system should be updated as well.
TURN ON THE SOUND
Unlike every other unit we’ve produced in the past, pressing F8 does not initiate the
startup sequence followed by the engine idling. That’s because we’re pretending there
is no prime mover in the NPCU, just like the real thing. The other sounds are still enabled
by default, but toggling F8 just turns turns the air conditioner on the cab roof on and off.
Note that if you are listening to the air conditioner running smoothly on your NPCU and
then you select another engine with your throttle, your locomotive still thinks F8 is pressed
so the air conditioner will keep humming along. However, if someone else selects your
locomotive’s number and F8 isn’t pressed on their controller, the air conditioner will
promptly shut down. They will need to press F8 again to keep their crew cool.

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FUNCTIONS
F0 Front Headlight F12 Hostler (Switching) Lighting
F1 Bell F15 Brake
F2 Horn (And Bell) F16 Turn off Numberboards
F3 Doppler Horn F17 “Arrival” Announcement
F4 Go Into/Out of “Standby” F18 “Departure” Announcement
F5 Go Into/Out of “Run” F20 Sarco Valve (Spitter) – Slow
F6 Ditch Lights F21 Sarco Valve (Spitter) – Fast
F7 Dim the Headlights F22 Sarco Valve on Shutdown
F8 Air Conditioner – On/Off F23 Brake Release On/Off
F9 Front Marker Lights
F10 Strobe Lights
F11 Doors Opening/Closing
FUNCTIONS: MORE INFORMATION
F0 Front Headlight
Headlight goes on, headlight goes off. Headlight goes on, headlight goes off. That’s all.
F1 Bell and F2 Horn
Your NPCU is programmed with an accurate recording of an Amtrak F40PH electronic
bell, or E-Bell. We still haven’t figured out why Jason likes these so much, but he’s tickled
that it’s the default bell. We also include a steel Air Bell, because the rest of us like air
bells better.
Whenever you operate the bell, the strobe lights will automatically come on (if they’re
not already on). This is prototypical. If it really bugs you, there is probably a way to
turn it off but we have no clue how to do this. Go ask Matt at ESU and tell him Rapido
sent you. The default horn is one of many recordings available of a Nathan K5LA.
Many Amtrak F40PHs and NPCUs were modified with this horn. Other horn options are
available should you wish to match a specific unit, or you like the sound of them better.
A company that gives you options? That sounds like a great deal!
When you blow the horn, you should also turn on the bell. On the prototype locomotive
(and on some of our other locomotive models), the bell comes on automatically with the
horn. We couldn’t include that feature on the Amtrak NPCU (something about strobe
lights and Jason having nightmares about steel bells) so you will need to turn the bell on
and off manually. But as an added bonus, if you’ve got your ditch lights turned on using
F6, they will alternatively flash for a few seconds when you sound the horn.
To change which bell and horn versions from the default, you need to change CV48.
CV48 controls the bell and horn (and other stuff, but we’re ignoring them). Your choice
of bell determines the initial value of CV48, and then your choice of horn determines
how much you need to add to that initial value.

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CV48 initial value:
0 = E-Bell (default)
64 = Air Bell
CV48 horn options and values:
0 = Nathan Old Cast P5a 5 = Nathan New Cast P5a (Alternate)
1 = Nathan New Cast P5a 6 = Nathan Amtrak K5LA #2
2 = Nathan M5 7 = Nathan Amtrak K5LA #3
3 = Nathan K5LA 8 = Nathan Amtrak K5LA #4 (Default)
4 = Nathan Old Cast P5a (Alternate)
The default is the E-Bell and the Nathan Amtrak K5LA #4. Add the two values above (0
for the E-Bell and 8 for the K5LA #4) and you have a default value of 8 for CV48.
Say you want to keep the E-Bell but you want a New Cast P5a. Add 0 for the E-Bell and
1 for the New Cast P5a and you get a value of 1 for CV48.
If you want the Air Bell and the Nathan Amtrak K5LA #2, add 64 for the Air Bell and 6
for the K5LA, and you get a value of 70 for CV48. Hopefully you get it now. If you are
following everything precisely and you can’t seem to change the settings, read the note
below which we should have told you before.
IMPORTANT: You need to change CV48 using a programming track or a
LokProgrammer. (Sorry. We keep saying we’ll remember to include that
important bit of information at the top of Bell and Horn section of the
manual instead of at the bottom, but we keep forgetting.)
F3 Doppler Horn
You can play this when approaching level crossings at speed. It is a real recording of an
Amtrak F40PH (with train) approaching a level crossing at high speed with the engineer
playing music on a K5LA. We think this sounds so beautiful, it makes us cry. It’s the same
horn as on the NPCUs, so there’s no worry about it not sounding right. If you’ve also
got your ditch lights turned on (F6) and press F3, they’ll start flashing alternatively. You
know, just in case nobody hears you barrelling towards the crossing.
F4 and F5 – Standby and Run
See Prototypical Operation – DCC (Sound) on page 9 above.
F6 Ditch Lights
The ditch lights should be turned on whenever your NPCU is pulling leading a train.
However, remember to turn them off when approaching a station or an oncoming train
as they are BLINDING.
But wait, there’s more! Should your ditch lights be on when you sound the horn using
F2 or F3, your ditch lights will flash alternatively. That’s right folks, flashing ditch lights!

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Of course you already knew this if you’ve been reading the manual this far. After a few
seconds, the ditch lights will default back to “always on”.
F7 Dim the Headlights
When approaching a station stop or an oncoming train, turn off your ditch lights and
then press F7 to dim your lights – you don’t want to blind your passengers or the
oncoming train’s engineers. The ditch lights should turn off automatically too, unless we
goofed on the programming.
F8 Air Conditioner – On/Off
Since the NPCU doesn’t have a prime mover, it’s usually really REALLY quiet. That is until
the air conditioner unit on top of the cab is turned on. There’s a subtle hum to it, so we’ve
added it in should you wish to keep your crew cool. But don’t leave it on in the winter.
They wouldn’t like that too much.
F9 Front Classification Lights (Markers)
The NPCU was made so that it can lead a train in push service, but that means when
it’s on the tail end, you’ve got to protect your movement. When pushing bringing up
the rear a train, the locomotive should have the red markers turned on. F9 operates
independently of the locomotive direction, just like the prototype.
F10 Strobe Lights
The strobe lights on the NPCU operate automatically with the bell, but can also be
operated separately by the engineer. When operating your model, there may be
circumstances where you want the strobe lights to operate without the bell: hence
function F10.
While the real NPCUs are equipped with strobe lights that flash at random, if you’re the
type who prefers order rather than chaos, you can change your strobe lights to flash in
unison. To do so, change the following CVs in order:
CV31=16, CV32=0, CV371=5, CV379=5
F11 Doors Opening and Closing
Every passenger train needs to make a station stop from time to time. Press F11 to play
a sound effect of the doors opening and/or closing. While we would have liked to make
this function actually make the doors of all your passenger cars open and/or close,
technology isn’t quite there yet. Maybe one day we’ll get it working.
F12 Hostler (Switcher) Lighting
A common misconception on cab units is that the big light in the back should be on
whenever the engine is moving backwards. Actually, it’s only on when the engine is
running light or switching cars. And in those situations, both the front and rear headlights
are on, and they are dim. The NPCU is no different. Press F12 to put both headlights on
dim. Press F12 again to revert back to the default setting.

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F15 Brake
F15 works just like the brakes on a real engine. Press F15 and you put on the brakes.
Turn off F15 and the brakes come off so you start moving again.
F17 “Arrival” Announcement
F18 “Departure” Announcement
We’ve added recordings of two of the more common announcements found aboard
Amtrak trains before and after a station stop. Feel free to keep your passengers in the
know by pressing these buttons at the appropriate times. However, your passengers
travel experience will not improve with the playing of these messages, so make sure to
give them a smooth ride.
F20 and F21 Sarco Valve (Spitter)
These functions turn on or off the Sarco Valve. On the real NPCU, it actually doesn’t have
them. But if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then chances are
it spits like one too. Or so we’ve been told. So just like our existing locomotives, we’ve
included two versions of it, controlled by functions. You can choose whether or not you
hear the Sarco Valve, and you can choose how fast you want it to spit. Sorry, spitoon
not included.
F20 controls the “fast” spitter valve sound effect while F21 controls the “slower” sound
effect. Each function toggles the sound effects in an on/off manner. Having both F20
and F21 enabled at the same time may result in your locomotive actually producing spit.
If you want nothing but silence, toggle each function until both spitter settings are silent.
Please note your NPCU warranty does not cover malfunction due to excess saliva, so
please try not to replicate the sound effect on your own.
F22 Sarco After Shutdown
On real engines you can hear the Sarco Valve after the engine shuts down. Some people
like to hear this on the model, but Jason finds it annoying. So the default for this is “off.”
If you want to hear the Sarco Valve spit for a minute after shutdown, just press F22.
F23 Brake Set/Release
This function turns off the brake release and brake set sounds when you start or stop
moving, respectively. It has no effect on the function of the engine — it just affects the
sounds.
SOUND VOLUME SETTINGS
The sound volumes on your decoder have been pre-set at the factory to levels that we
found comfortable on our test tracks. This is considerably quieter than what you are
probably used to when first turning on a sound-equipped locomotive, because we feel
that most locomotive models are set to ABSURDLY LOUD out of the box.

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Sound levels are very much a matter of personal taste (especially if you are going deaf
like we are), and what sounds great in one layout environment may sound too loud or
too soft in another. Fortunately all sound levels can be easily adjusted to best suit your
own requirements and we recommend that you experiment with different settings if you
don’t care for the default levels.
To set the volume levels go into the program mode on your DCC system (refer to your
system’s manual for instructions on how to do this as each system is slightly different);
enter the desired CV number; then enter the desired levels. Note that this can be done
either on a programming track or on the main (ops mode) if your DCC system supports
programming on the main.
We strongly recommend that you keep notes on which settings you have changed and
which values were used. If you ever need to do a reset on the decoder (see “Factory
Reset” below) then having good notes will allow you to easily re-enter any changes that
you might want to keep.
VERY IMPORTANT: Before you change any of the volume control CVs,
please make sure that CV32 is set to 1. CV32 is used as an index selection
register and if you don’t set it first then we are not responsible for your
resulting rage and the fact that you will probably throw the locomotive
against the wall in frustration.
NPCU SOUND VOLUME SETTINGS
FUNCTION CV DEFAULT RANGE YOUR VALUE
MASTER VOLUME 63 60 0-192
AIR CONDITIONER VOLUME 259 20 0-128
HORN VOLUME 275 128 0-128
BELL VOLUME 283 64 0-128
BRAKE SET/RELEASE 347 40 0-128
FAST SARCO VALVE VOLUME 371 64 0-128
DOPPLER HORN 379 128 0-128
SLOW SARCO VALVE VOLUME 387 64 0-128
SARCO VALVE AT SHUTDOWN VOLUME 395 64 0-128
ARRIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT VOLUME 403 128 0-128
DEPARTURE ANNOUNCEMENT VOLUME 411 128 0-128
DOOR OPENING/CLOSING VOLUME 435 128 0-128
BRAKE SQUEAL VOLUME 459 45 0-128

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FACTORY RESET
On your NPCU, you perform a factory reset by entering a value of “8” into CV 8. Note
that this will cause all of your new volume and motor settings to be lost, so you will need
to reprogram any settings that you want to keep. You did keep notes like we suggested
earlier, didn’t you?
You can NOT lose all of the pre-recorded sounds on your NPCU decoder by doing
a factory reset. If you manage to lose all of the sounds on your NPCU then you have
probably set fire to your decoder with a voltage spike on a cheap DC train set controller.
Open up your NPCU and pour out the ashes. Please don’t try opening the roll-up door
for easy access. It’s non-operable.
AWESOME SLOW SPEED THINGY
There is an awesome trick that you can use to get even better slow speed running and
smoother operation. It’s called the Automatic Motor Tuning Feature. This feature will
automatically adjust the Back-EMF in most cases and give you phenomenal slow-speed
performance.
In order to use this automatic adjustment you need to use Ops mode programming, i.e.
programming on the main. Make sure your locomotive is in “forward” and that you have
lots of room in front of it on your mainline. Set CV 54 to a value of 0. Then get out of
programming mode and turn on the bell (press F1). We’ll say this again: Make sure you
have plenty of room in front of your locomotive and it is not headed for the layout edge
and the basement floor!!!
Your NPCU will quickly take off at full speed (yes, we know, it’s not powered in real life)
and then screech to a stop while the decoder reads the motor responses. You’ll have
fabulous motor control after you do this. If you ever have to reset your locomotive, you
can do the automatic adjustment again – it just takes a few seconds.
If you had less room than you thought and your NPCU is now in 81 pieces on the floor,
have fun putting it back together. Also have fun with the insurance claims from the crew
you installed too. And if you didn’t install a crew, well then you’ve still got 81 pieces on
the floor. Good luck!
MORE INFORMATION
While addressing the features that most modelers will need for normal operation, these
instructions have covered just a small number of the many customizable features of
your ESU LokSound decoder. For advanced users who want to more fully explore the
capabilities of the decoder we suggest downloading the ESU Loksound Select decoder
manual. This is available on the NPCU page in the Support section of our web site.

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LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
We will do our best to solve any problems or issues that you may have with your Amtrak
NPCU locomotive. If your locomotive has any defects that originate from the factory,
we will repair your locomotive using new components or replace it outright should a
repair not be possible. However, we can only replace your locomotive while we have
additional ones in stock. We normally keep spares for up to six months after a model is
released. If you purchased this locomotive or first opened it after that time, it is possible
that we no longer have any replacements and that a repair is the only option. Please
give us a call or write us an e-mail, and we will see what we can do to help you out.
There are a number of things that this warranty can not cover. If your NPCU arrives
with a couple of loose grab irons or underbody bits, there is a very good chance that
you can effect a repair in less time and effort than it would take to contact us. Don’t be
afraid to do some model railroading! White glue, such as Weldbond, works wonders
for securing all sorts of parts and will not mar or damage your paint. However, if parts
are missing that is another story – call us or send us an e-mail and we’ll send you some
replacements.
Of course, damage caused by replicating one of those old State Fair train collisions,
running your locomotive through baking soda “snow” for a photo shoot to impress
your Instragram followers, posing it for a photo on the nose of a real NPCU locomotive
moving at more than 10MPH, setting the throttle to maximum while trying to pull lead
a 40-car Auto Train up a 3% grade because you wanted to see “how much it can pull
lead,” connecting a live 480V HEP cable to your model, or any other damage caused
by you that we haven’t been able to cover here is not covered by the warranty.
However, if catastrophe does strike and your locomotive gets damaged, please give us
a shout and we’ll do our best to help you out. Yes, even if it was your fault we
will try our best to fix your locomotive for you. Don’t be shy!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A lot of people have been a huge help in making our Amtrak NPCU a success. Yes
we know, it’s also called a “Cabbage” by many and we also really like that name
too, but we don’t want people to mistaken that everyone listed here worked in the
produce section of your local supermarket. Thanks goes to Marshall W. Beecher, Deane
Ellsworth, William Hakkarinen, Matt Herman, Bob Hundman, Clifford Kendall, Tom
Murray, Tom Nanos, Blair Slaughter, Joe St. John, Chuck Yungkurth and Bob Zenk for
their contributions to the NPCU project.
Special thanks also goes out to Matt Donnelly, Alex Stroshane and T.J. Van Haag for once
again providing insight, photographs, drawings, sounds and pretty much everything
needed to make this locomotive actually look like an Amtrak locomotive. And we also
cannot forget about the invaluable contributions to this project by the late Asa Worcester.

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If you like your Amtrak NPCU (or any Rapido product for that matter), please tell your
friends about Rapido and encourage them to sign up for our newsletter. Most people
tend to hear about our models after they’ve missed the pre-order deadline and then get
upset because they’ve got to scour the world 5x over to find one available. Every year
we try to bring a new revolutionary model (or three) to the American market, and we
still get the “wow” factor even from our existing customers.
NOTES
Write your DCC programming notes here, draw a pretty picture, or try and draw your
own NPCU like the one at the bottom of this page.
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