Rapido Trains Amtrak RTL TURBOLINER User guide

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RTL TURBOLINER PRODUCT GUIDELINES
Thank you for purchasing this model of the last turbine-powered passenger train
in North American revenue service, the Rohr-built RTL Turboliner! Based on the
earlier French RTG (Rame à Turbine à Gaz) Turboliner but with American couplers
and 480v HEP, the RTL Turboliners ran for over 25 years out of New York City.
If this is your first Rapido product, we must ask – why is this your first Rapido
product? C'mon, we’ve been around now for a long time now and we’re not just
a Canadian company anymore, eh? We’ve produced several imperial tons of US
products, like the SW1200s, FL9s, F40PHs, E8s, PA-1s, FA-2s, RS-11s, etc. So just
for that, we’re going to make sure you LOVE your RTL Turboliner. And then you’ll
say to yourself, “What have I missed out on all these years? I need to find and
buy every Rapido model that has ever been released, in every scale! Even the UK
ones!”
If you are a returning customer, welcome back! All we ask is you don’t intentionally
set your new train on fire, don’t use it on a daredevil stunt off the end of the layout,
don't use it as mini hockey sticks (that's too Canadian...even for us!), and don’t
run it at high speed into anything made of depleted uranium. Oh, and REALLY
keep it away from cheap DC controllers. Crappy power packs can quickly and
easily give any Rapido unit an unwanted makeover … and not the good kind
(more like the smoked brisket kind).
If this is your first Rapido Manual, we should warn you up front – there’s usually a
good amount of humor through these manuals. Well, at least we think so. We have
gotten some e-mails from people that don’t agree, but we suspect that they have
no sense of humor. After all, last we heard is that model railroading is supposed
to be fun!
As always, if there is anything amiss with your RTL Turboliner, please do not
hesitate to contact us. We stand by our products 100%. The best way to contact us
is through email (ser[email protected]) but you can also reach us by phone
or the postal service. Our contact info is near the back of this manual.
However, PLEASE do not send a faulty model back to us without first getting
authorization. You wouldn’t believe how many times we get a delivery of a broken
locomotive with only a name inside (sometimes only the FIRST name), meaning
we have no idea what’s wrong with it! If the issue with your model is something
simple – like a loose grab iron – then we’ll likely tell you how to fix it yourself.
Information about the warranty of your model can be found near the end of this
manual. Again, please make sure you contact us first so we can tell you whether
there’s enough parts (or humanity) left to do your repair.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prototype History................................................................................................ 4
Break-In ............................................................................................................4
How to Hold Your Turboliner ...............................................................................5
Checking and Adjusting Your Turboliner................................................................5
Missing or Damaged Parts ..................................................................................6
How to Assemble Your Turboliner .........................................................................6
Additional Features and Detail Parts .....................................................................7
Removing the Shell............................................................................................. 9
Operation – DC (Silent) ....................................................................................10
Installing a DCC Decoder..................................................................................11
Operation – DC (Sound) ...................................................................................12
Operation – DCC (Sound)................................................................................. 12
• Power Car Address .............................................................................13
• Turn On the Sound ...............................................................................13
• Operating Modes................................................................................. 14
• Functions ............................................................................................14
• Functions: More Information ..................................................................15
• Custom Sound Settings .........................................................................18
• Sound Volume Settings .........................................................................18
• Sound Volume Settings Chart ................................................................19
• Factory Reset ......................................................................................19
• Awesome Slow Speed Thingy ...............................................................20
• More Information ................................................................................20
Limited Warranty ............................................................................................20
Acknowledgements .........................................................................................21
Contact Us ..................................................................................................... 21
Sound-equipped Rapido models feature ESU Loksound V5
decoders. For more information, please visit www.esu.eu.
RTL TURBOLINER DCC FUNCTIONS
F0 Front Headlight/Red Markers
F1 Bell
F2 Horn
F3 Flange Squeal
F4 HEP Turbine
F5 Doppler Horn
F6 Strobe Lights
F7 Dim the Headlights
F8 Startup/Mute/Shutdown
F9 Class Lights
F10 Independent Brake
F11 Door Open/Close
F12 Red Emergency Light
F13 Manual Change Ends
F14 Grand Central Terminal Mode
F15 Prototype Mode
F16 Air Dryer On Shutdown
F17 Brake Set/Release (Automatic)
F18 Sanding Valve
F19 Short Air Let Off
F20 Air Compressor
F21 Air Dryer

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PROTOTYPE HISTORY
In the 1970s – with Amtrak still reeling from inheriting a proverbial mixed bag
of equipment from the former passenger carriers – efforts were made to improve
passenger services along key corridors. Following the success of the French-built
RTG Turboliners in the mid-1970s in the Midwest, Amtrak turned to Rohr Industries
in California to build modernized Turboliners for use along the Empire Corridor.
Entering service starting in September 1976, these new RTL Turboliners quickly
proved their value, bringing passengers back to the rails. Equipped with third-rail
shoes, they operated on electric power through New York’s Grand Central Terminal
(and later Penn Station), switching to gas-turbine power once out of New York City.
Painted in Amtrak’s stunning red, white and blue paint scheme, they operated on
most Empire Corridor services, as well as regular appearances on the Adirondack
to and from Montreal in the early years. Occasional equipment needs even put
the Turbos on other rare adventures outside their normal call of duty, including
the Niagara Rainbow to Detroit via Southwestern Ontario, and the Maple Leaf to
Toronto via Niagara Falls.
After nearly 20 years of service under their belts, Amtrak selected one RTL set in 1994
to be rebuilt into what would be called the RTL-II, incorporating several improvements
including new turbines, a remodelled interior, a striking new demonstrator paint
scheme, in addition to extending the lifespan of the set for several more years. While
this set continued in service until 2003, no other RTL-II sets were ever commissioned.
Further redevelopments and improvements of the fleet into the RTL-IIIs was never fully
realized, and all were retired from active service in 2004. Conventional dual-mode
(diesel & electric) equipment has since been utilized on the Empire Corridor services
in place of the once mighty Turboliners.
BREAK-IN
Just so we’re clear, that doesn’t mean break into anyone’s layout room to steal their
RTL Turboliner. And don’t break into a hobby shop either because that is really
frowned upon. Just buy more for yourself. But this isn’t about that kind of break-in.
Every self-propelled piece of equipment needs a break-in period. Your RTL Turboliner
has been tested at our factory for about two minutes … maybe … just to make sure
everything functions as it should. That is certainly 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 RTL Turboliner power cars on a test loop and
just let them run independently in each direction for an hour or two. Fast and slow.
Don’t run them as a full trainset until you've let them wear themselves in for a bit.

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There already should be enough grease in the gearbox so you don’t need to add
any. Just let the things run.
HOW TO HOLD YOUR TURBOLINER
Hold your RTL Turboliner gently, and with much love, care, and attention. Your
model has numerous delicate parts, particularly on the underframe. If you want to
backdate it to be the quality of a model produced in the 1970s, then rip all the parts
off and handle it like a young child with their first tub of plasticine. We’re assuming
you don’t want to do that, so the RTL Turboliner should be picked up carefully
and separately. That means don't pick up the complete trainset and play it like an
accordion either. It is also best to handle each vehicle with your fingers along the
bottom edge of the carbody. That way you won’t leave greasy fingerprints on all
the windows and you also won’t stress any of the delicate parts. Always make sure
your hands are free of shmutz before touching your train, otherwise you’ll shmutz
up the body sides. Hey – Amtrak kept these pretty clean for the most part, so that
would not be too realistic.
If you are taking your RTL Turboliner to the club all the time and regularly handling it,
stuff will likely break off. Sorry. We've included a few extra parts where applicable,
but the little bits are made of plastic and metal and attached with glue, which is all
a bit fragile. We wanted to make the small parts out of unobtainium and use Steady-
State Micro Welding to install them. Unfortunately, with the current global supply
crisis, unobtainium has become unobtainable.
We suggest wrapping your RTL Turboliner in a plastic bag before placing it in the
packaging or in your holder so you can catch bits that fall off. White glue is the
recommended adhesive for reattaching the bits, although you are welcome to use
CA but only if you are very careful or very brave. Remember to apply the CA to just
the part and not the model (don’t ask us how we know this).
CHECKING AND ADJUSTING YOUR TURBOLINER
We try and make sure that every model is perfectly up to spec before it leaves the
factory, but if it was a Monday night and our factory workers were placing bets
on last night’s dance off at the club rather than assembling models, there may be a
couple of bugs. Doing a quick pre-service check will solve most operational glitches.
• 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, then remove
the affected wheelset from the truck by prying off the bottom lid of the gearbox
with a small flat screwdriver and then spreading apart the sideframes. The
wheelset can be regauged by grabbing each wheel and twisting. Reverse the

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steps to replace the wheelset and ensure the gearbox cover is snapped into
place before placing it on the track.
• Check that all underbody piping and appliances are firmly installed and clear
of the track. If your track transitions from flat to a 12% grade in three inches,
you may want to remove the pilot and the fuel tank as they will foul the rails.
Have you ever considered roller coaster modeling? That might be more your
style.
• Make sure that the trucks swivel freely and without binding. If they catch on
anything, check to ensure that the sides 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 RTL Turboliner 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 the idea of human beings touching your models, but if it is a matter of
gluing a roof vent 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,
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 tough tooties.
We’re not fixing it again.
We try to make our models courier- and mail-proof, but there really is no way to
protect a model from damage when it is handled and treated like it's the 7-pin down
at the local bowling alley. Model trains generally don’t survive well after being hit
wildly in a desperate attempt to nail that 7-10 split. That pin never saw it coming.
If you see some grab irons are missing and they are not floating around the
packaging, let us know and we will send you replacements. More information about
our warranty can be found towards the end of this manual.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR TURBOLINER
The first thing you're probably going to say when you take your Turboliner out of
the packaging is "Where are the couplers?" Well, they're in the polybags, but
they're not regular couplers. The Turboliner uses NEM-style drawbars and coupler
pockets. What this means is that when the train is on straight track, the cars are as
close together as possible. When on curves even down to 18 inch radius, the cars
are just as close together as they were on the straight track. This allows for the best
appearance at all times, especially since you now don't need (or want) massive
daylight gaps between cars to accommodate sharp curves.

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To assemble your train, install a drawbar into one car at a time, then placing them on
the track. After you have all the cars lined up, simply press all the trainsets together
into a connected train. There, you're done! To separate the cars, get a hold of each
of the two cars you want to separate and firmly begin pulling them apart with your
fingers on either side of the diaphragms. Don't be afraid to use steady, firm pressure
when separating. Don't just reef them apart either. The drawbars curved hooks will
eventually give way and the train separate. We discourage turning the entire train
on its side (unless you have a foam mat) simply because its length may twice (and
subsequently break) a coupling and the fact you may break any detail parts on the
sides.
If you want to convert your train to Kadee couplers so you can marshal and mix cars
around on a whim, then Kadee does offer an NEM coupler conversion. Please visit
their website for more information.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES AND DETAIL PARTS
Over the years, the RTL Turboliner had a few changes over the years. We've tried to
include all options covering their storied careers, which is why you'll find an array
of parts both in the polybag and included on your model. Let's have a look at them.
INTERIOR LIGHTS
All models come with track powered interior lights, similar to our standard
passenger car lighting. If you want to run your train with the lights out, or
are parking it in the yard, simply wave the included Rapido Lighter magnetic
wand over the middle of the roof of each car and the lights can be turned off.
Wave it again and you can turn them back on. Magic, eh?
CAB DOOR STEPS
The cab door steps underneath the body shell are quite fragile, so take care
when handling your power cars. You'll also notice the front section of the
power car is narrower than the rest of the body, which presents a more
restricted space for the lead trucks to rotate around tight curves because of the
steps position. If you experience derailment issues on tighter curves (less than
22" radius), just remove the steps. They're keyed on the inside of the shell with
just a little glue, so there'll be no visible damage if you remove them. They're
also black, so they're almost invisible even when installed.
DUMMY KNUCKLE COUPLER
After the first few years, the Turboliners always ran around with an exposed
coupler on the front. Because these usually ran by themselves and the coupler
is such a pronounced detail on the nose, we've included a painted scale
dummy knuckle coupler that looks far more realistic than the functional type

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you use with freight cars. Simply install as you would a regular coupler into
the coupler box.
FRONT COUPLER DOORS
On the prototype in the early years, the front coupler could be retracted and
then a pair of doors could be closed to create a streamlined nose. Because a
reliable hinge in HO scale would be horribly oversized, we've designed the
nose doors as a single piece that plugs into the coupler box. Simply remove
the dummy knuckle or working coupler from the coupler box, and then insert
the nose doors.
AIR HOSES
The air hoses between the cars are left in the polybag because they're quite
fragile and we didn't want them to end up broken or damaged in shipping.
Simply install these into the keyed holes on the ends of the car if you wish
to add them. Take note that they're positioned to avoid interference from the
coupling between the cars.
DOOR STEP PROTECTORS
In the early years, there were some issues with the retractable steps deploying
when the passenger doors were closed. Normally this isn't an issue, except
it was while the train was moving. To avoid this issue, a protector plate was
secured to the bottom of the doors to prevent the steps from deploying and
possibly contacting trackside objects. These can be installed with simple white
glue, centered on the bottom of the passenger doors, with about half of the
plate extending below the door.
STROBE LIGHTS
Every Turboliner comes with three strobe lights on the roof - two white strobes
and a single red emergency strobe light in the middle. Depending on the
model, you may also find the later "large" strobes in the polybag should you
wish to change them. These will be glued on the model, so care should be
given when changing them. Match prototype photos to determine which style
is more appropriate for your era.
MIRRORS
Several mirrors are provided in the polybag for you to install on the model.
These are very small and susceptible to damage, so we didn't pre-install
them. If you want to install the mirrors, simply drill a small hole 1 mm (3/64
inch) below the cab side windows, aligned with the divider in the window.
Reference photos online to confirm. A 1/64-inch, 0.4 mm or #79 drill bit
should be the correct size.

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SIDE AIR INTAKE GRILLES
After the first few years, the air intakes on the sides of the power cars were
changed for improved performance. If you have the early style Turboliner,
we've included the later style of air intakes in the polybag. These snap into the
body side using clips. If you want to update your model with the later style of
intake, remove the shell, pop off the early intakes and snap in the new ones.
It's that easy.
LATE-STYLE FRA WINDSHIELD
Not long after the Turboliners were delivered, the FRA mandated better
windshields on trains to improve safety. Sadly, the Turboliner was no
exception, so the as-delivered curved windshields needed to be replaced.
We've included the later version in the polybag if you have the early-style
Turboliner. While glue is used to secure the windshield to the model, it should
be possible to remove the old one and install the new one. You may need to
sacrifice the integrity of the old windshield to fully remove it without damaging
the rest of the shell so you can install the FRA windshield. Later models already
have this style installed.
REMOVING THE SHELL
If you need to open your RTL Turboliner to install a crew or a decoder, things should
be pretty straightforward and easy. To get inside your RTL Turboliner, you will need
to follow these steps:
• We recommend that you only attempt opening up your locomotive in a
zero-gravity environment. That way, if a part does break off, it will just be
suspended there, right where you broke it, ready for you to reinstall it. If you
don’t have a zero-gravity chamber, then we suggest a well lit room that does
not have shag carpet on the floor. Yes, it looks great and yes it feels great on
bare feet, until said bare feet find a stray detail part you completely forgot
about.
• We recommend taking the shells off while the train is NOT assembled into a
fixed trainset. You can try, but we can't be held responsible for what happens
should you attempt this.
• For the Coaches and Cafe-Coaches, there are 4 clips holding the body shell
to the chassis. If you look at the chassis from the underside and spread the
shell from the chassis, you'll see these clips. Set the car right-side up (wheels
down), use your fingers to lightly pull the car sides away, and you should be
able to wiggle the shell off. Avoid twisting or tilting towards one end, as you
can catch onto the end weights or interior walls.

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• For the Power Cars, it's largely the same, but there's one step that must be
taken before removing the shell. Turn the power car over and rest it on the
roof in a foam cradle or other safe surface and you'll notice the U-shape of
the pilot. The pilot is not secured to the chassis, but to the shell itself so the fit
is always tight. Pry the sides of the U-shape away from the shell and the two
clips should disengage. It will remain around the coupler box, but this is fine
to leave it loose. Turn the Power Car back over (wheels down) and remove
the shell much like the coaches. When you do, the pilot will be loose as well
and can be lifted off of the coupler box.
• To reinstall the shells, set them directly on top of the chassis and press straight
down until the clips engage. For the Power Car, make sure the pilot is in
position over the coupler box first before putting the shell on. Once you secure
the shell, turn the car over and clip the loose pilot into the body shell.
Any requests for replacement bodies because you broke the little clips will be met
with laughter, followed by sadness, then laughter again, and then a very polite
suggestion that you should model a railcar rebuilder and use your recently broken
body as scenery. We did warn you after all. If we can assist, then all joking aside
we’ll make every effort to do so. But note that we don’t have a warehouse full of
shells to replace the broken ones.
OPERATION – DC (SILENT)
If your RTL Turboliner locomotive is not equipped with a sound decoder, it should
function like most other HO scale locomotives. Put it on the track, assemble the
trainset, give it some juice and watch it go. In DC, the headlights are directional.
All other lights – including class lights and strobe lights – are wired, but they will not
work in DC.
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 RTL Turboliner as it
may not be safe (for your model 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 15 volts DC. Similarly,
controllers designed for large scale trains put out a much higher voltage than your
RTL Turboliner can handle. Please see the highlighted warning not too much further
in this manual.
If you use a train set throttle or a throttle designed for large scale trains, your
locomotive’s circuitry may end up looking like a TV dinner forgotten in the microwave
after you accidentally punched in an extra digit into the timer. In such situations, we’ll

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try our best to fix it for you, but it may be beyond salvaging. Please note we may
have to charge you for the replacement parts and/or the labor involved in restoring
it to its former self. That’s because you didn’t read this bit of the manual. For those of
you who are reading this, hi! How’s it going? You in the mood for gyros?
INSTALLING A DCC DECODER
The RTL Turboliner contains a motherboard specially designed for our decoders.
This is connected to the track, motor and main lighting outputs (interior lights are
not controlled by the decoder). 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. Your chosen decoder should have eight function outputs.
We recommend the following 21-pin decoder:
• ESU #59619 - LokPilot V5 DCC with 21MTC
The necessary resistors are included on our motherboard, so you don’t have to futz
around with resistors. Just plug in the recommended decoder and you have DCC.
ESU has made the Turboliner function mapping which can be downloaded into their
non-sound decoder so that the function buttons and motor control are the same as
our factory-released sound versions. This is available for download from the Support
section of our website. Well, it should be there. If it isn’t there, I blame the Boston
Bruins (yeah, we went there – Sorry Paul). You will need an ESU LokProgrammer to
write the function mapping to the silent decoder. If you don’t have a LokProgrammer,
you can adjust CVs in the usual way.
You know, if you want silent DCC it’s a heck of a lot easier to just order the sound
model and turn off the sounds. If you’re known for mashing buttons on your controller
errantly and want to avoid sound altogether, open your Turboliner and either remove
the speaker or simply snip the wires to it. There, done! At any rate, after you’ve
bought the silent decoder and spent many hours fiddling to install it, fix the bits you
broke off, and get all the functions to work correctly, you’ll realize it would have
been cheaper and less frustrating to buy the sound-equipped model and just turn off
the sounds. Your time and sanity are worth something, after all!
If you want to install a decoder other than the one we suggest, it’s more than just
plugging in the decoder and then playing trains. You will have to custom map all the
functions. It’s just how it is. We won’t apologize for that. Sorry.

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OPERATION – DC (SOUND)
To operate your sound-equipped RTL Turboliner locomotive on a DC layout, just give
the throttle some juice. The two power cars 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 —
Rapido products are designed to operate safely between 0V and 16V.
Voltages in excess of 16V - as well as irregular waveforms, voltage spikes
or short circuits - may cause severe and sometimes irreversible damage to
the product. “Train set” power packs are known to suffer from any one of
these unexpected irregularities, whereas higher-end systems have safeguards
in place to prevent this. Rapido always recommends using a power supply
system that matches the quality of the models you are running. If you’re
reading this, you’ve obviously invested in top-of-the-line, museum-quality
motive power and equipment, so we hope you’ve made the same investment
with your model railroad power supply too.
While many power supply systems exist, some are known to have caused
problems with model train circuitry in the past. If you have any one of the
following systems, PLEASE DO NOT USE IT until you contact us for more
information: MRC RailPower 1300/1370-series, Bachman Spectrum
Magnum, Atlas 313 Universal Power Pack.
The DC lighting is limited. Some throttle manufacturers produce special gadget-
like thingies which are meant to trigger the sounds in locomotives on DC layouts.
As we have no involvement in the development of those gadget-like thingies, we
have absolutely no idea how they will affect your RTL Turboliner, for good or for
ill, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in … sorry, wrong transcript. As always,
we’ll try to help you fix your RTL Turboliner if one of these gadget-like thingies turns
your locomotive’s circuitry into something akin to glowing magma, but we can’t
guarantee we’ll be able to.
OPERATION – DCC (SOUND)
We go to extreme lengths for accuracy, in sounds as well as in looks. Our sound
decoders are LokSound 5 decoders by ESU, programmed with sounds digitized and
remastered from hours of footage of the RTL Turboliners operating in upstate New
York. So these sounds are 100% correct!

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More detailed decoder instructions, including all sorts of weird CV settings we still
don’t understand after all these years, can be found in the ESU Loksound decoder
manual. This is available for download in the Support section of our web site. We
highly recommend using the LokProgrammer especially if you have lots of Rapido
ESU-equipped locomotives. You do have lots, right?
POWER CAR ADDRESS
Both of your RTL Turboliner power cars come 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 to all functions – motor, lights, sounds, everything. Each
power car has different circuitry so that they will work nicely together and not
always fight against or away from each other like a pair of nuisance siblings.
Once you have verified that the power cars are responding you should assign them
either unique addresses (normally the road number of the unit) or together on the
same address (since they'll be in the same trainset) 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 either power car on the main and you have any other locomotives (or
power cars) assigned to address 3 (the normal default address for new locomotives)
that ALL of them will also be changed to your new address! This is great if you want
to simulate a bunch of kids getting into the engine shop, notching the controllers,
and then heading for the hills.
Note that some DCC systems get a little wonky when programming sound-equipped
locomotives on the programming track because of the high current draw. If weird
stuff happens, try programming on the main.
TURN ON THE SOUND
Press F8 and you will hear the RTL Turboliner startup sequence followed by the
sound of it idling. You can adjust CVs to prevent the power cars from moving until
the startup sequence has played out. Because we're an impatient lot we keep this
feature off by default. Refer to a full ESU LokSound V5 decoder manual for more
information. You can now download it from the Support section of our web site. The
feature is called the “Prime Mover Startup Delay” and is Section 13.2 on Page 89
of the ESU LokSound V5 manual.
If you press F8 when your trainset is already moving, it will skip the startup and the
sound will just turn on. Press F8 again to turn the sound off.
Note that if you are listening to your RTL Turboliner purring nicely and then you select

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another engine, your trainset still thinks F8 is pressed so it will keep idling along.
However, if someone else selects your trains number and F8 isn’t pressed on their
controller, the Turboliner will promptly shut down. They will need to press F8 again.
OPERATING MODES
We've gone to great lengths to make the model of the RTL Turboliner operate just like
the real thing in DCC, and that was one heck of a challenge to do too! Technology
has come a long way since the Turboliner itself was designed and built, so there are
two ways that you can operate your trainset:
MODEL RAILROAD MODE
Without pressing any buttons and just running your Turboliner, it will operate
just like a model train – the headlights will be facing the forward direction
and the red marker lights will face the rear. When Head End Power (F4) is
active, whatever end of the train is at the rear is where you'll hear the HEP
turbine running. Changing directions will switch the lights around, as well as
the source of the HEP sound.
PROTOTYPE MODEL
Pressing F15 will enable realistic operation of your Turboliner. Whenever a
crew operates the Turboliner, they will typically operate it from one end only,
even while hostling the train between the yard and the station. When you
change direction, the lights and HEP turbine sounds will not change, as per
the real thing. If you want to have your "crew" move to the other end of the
train, press F13. Now the lights will face the other direction and if enabled,
the HEP turbine will shut down from one end and restart at the other end.
Pretty neat, eh?
FUNCTIONS
F0 Front Headlight/Red Markers
F1 Bell
F2 Horn
F3 Flange Squeal
F4 HEP Turbine
F5 Doppler Horn
F6 Strobe Lights
F7 Dim the Headlights
F8 Startup/Mute/Shutdown
F9 Class Lights
F10 Independent Brake
F11 Door Open/Close
F12 Red Emergency Light
F13 Manual Change Ends
F14 Grand Central Terminal Mode
F15 Prototype Mode
F16 Air Dryer On Shutdown
F17 Brake Set/Release (Automatic)
F18 Sanding Valve
F19 Short Air Let Off
F20 Air Compressor
F21 Air Dryer

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FUNCTIONS: MORE INFORMATION
F0 Headlight/Red Markers
The Turboliner, being a trainset, has headlights at each end as well as red markers
indicating the rear of the train. When you turn the lights on with F0, the headlights
will go on in the direction of movement and red markers at the opposite end will
turn on. When you change directions, the lights will switch (unless you have F15
enabled).
F1 Bell
Probably one of the most difficult sounds to master is the bell because it’s such a
noticeable feature, and no matter what, chances are they all had their own unique
tone to them. We have provided two slightly different bell sounds so that you can
add a little variety to your fleet of RTL Turboliners. You DO have a fleet of Turboliners,
don’t you? You can choose between the bells by changing CV164 to either 0 or 1.
Note that only the bell in the direction of travel will ring when F1 is on.
F2 Horn
We love our horns. Like really! Seriously, who doesn’t love a good sounding horn?
To get a short “toot” just tap F2 or your “HORN” button. If you hear a long tail-off,
you are tapping for too long. If, no matter what you do, you just can’t get the darn
thing to make a short “toot,” switch to NCE. The default horn is a Nathan P5A, but
we’ve included a pair of others. Refer to the “Custom Sound Settings” section below.
Note that only the horn in the direction of travel will blow with F2 pressed.
F3 Flange Squeal
Just as you're easing into a sharp curve on your layout, press F3 to hear the metal-
on-metal squealing sound all trains are known for.
F4 Head End Power (HEP) Turbine
To keep the lights, heating, and air conditioning running, each Turboliner power car
was equipped with separate smaller turbine engine that provided Head End Power
(HEP). To hear this little jet engine spool up, press F4 and keep your passengers
comfortable. Note that only the HEP turbine opposite the direction of travel will
come on. This was done to keep the noise in the operating cab to a minimum.
F5 Doppler Horn
You can play this when approaching level crossings or any other whistle post. The
doppler is nicely timed for a moderately paced train blowing for a level crossing.

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F6 Strobe Lights
Amtrak has been adding white strobe lights on all their road power for decades.
These add extra grade crossing protection that will hopefully catch the eye of
motorists and pedestrians to warn them that the train is a comin' through.
F7 Dim the Headlights
When approaching a station stop or an oncoming train, press F7 to dim your lights
– you don’t want to blind your passengers or the oncoming train’s engineers. Not
dimming your lights is a direct violation of what’s commonly referred to as “Rule
17”. The internet can answer all your questions about said rule.
F8 Startup/Mute/Shutdown
While your trainset is stationary, pressing F8 will begin the startup sequence of the
turbine sounds. If your trainset is silent but already in motion, pressing F8 will skip
the startup sequence and simply turn on the sound. If the sound is already on, press
F8 to mute the sounds. If your trainset is stationary, then you will hear the turbine
shut down sequence before the sound turns off.
If you have a DCC system that only allows eight functions, you can remap
the functions below following the guidelines in the ESU LokSound V5 manual,
which can be downloaded from the support section of our web site. Or you
can upgrade to a newer DCC system, which may be less stressful.
F9 Class Lights
When you press F9, the white class lights will turn on. Hitting F9 a second time will
cycle the lights off. White class lights were used to signify a train was running as an
extra (unscheduled train) in train order territory.
F10 Independent Brake
F10 works just like the brakes on a real train. Press F10 and you put on the brakes.
Turn off F10 and the brakes come off so you can start moving again.
F11 Door Open/Close
When you press F11, the decoder will play the sound of all the passenger doors
opening. Press it again, and you'll hear the sound of the doors closing. Note that
the doors will not actually open or close, but the sound is cool.
F12 Emergency Light
On most Amtrak road units, there's a red emergency strobe light centrally located on
the front of the equipment. On the real thing, the light comes on when the emergency

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brake is applied to warn oncoming trains that there might be a derailment ahead
that fouls the mainline. Press F12 to simulate an emergency by turning on the red
strobe.
F13 Manual Change Ends
When F15 is on, press F13 to manually change the ends of the trainset (see F15
below). Otherwise, when F15 is off, every time you change the model's direction,
the headlight, horn, bell, and HEP turbine will also change ends which could be
annoying.
F14 Grand Central Terminal Mode
New York City had banned smoke-producing trains in 1908 and all trains into
Grand Central Terminal since then have had 3rd rail shoes -- including the Turboliner
– to run on clean electricity. To hear your trainset change from screaming turbines
to humming electric traction, press F14. To wind the turbines back up, press F14
again.
F15 Prototype Mode
When F15 is on, the Turboliner's crew will stay in one end regardless of direction
change as if they were hostling back and forth from the yard to the station. The horn,
bell, and lights will not change ends unless the "crew" does. ONLY pressing F13
will then change the Crew end, thus changing the headlight, horn, bell, and HEP
turbine ends.
F19 Short Air Let Off
No, this is not about the Wednesday after Taco Tuesday. You get a simple release
of air when you hit F19, that's it. "Psssst!" Kind of like shushing someone at the
local library.
F20 Air Compressor
Pump that air up! By pressing F20, this will activate the air compressor but by
default, the sound file will randomly play this feature.
F21 Spitter Valve
To save you from the saliva clean-up should you try to mimic the sound of the spitter
valve, we’ve provided its sporadic sounds on F21. By default, it’s always on, as the
real thing would always be going when the power cars are running (and for a few
minutes after they've shut down). But if you prefer to not hear it at all, just press F21
to silence the spit.

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CUSTOM SOUND SETTINGS
The RTL Turboliners were only used by Amtrak and, as such, were equipped with
only a limited number of horns and bell tones.
The default horn on your model is the Nathan P5A. You can change the default horn
by changing the value of CV 163. We’ve also chosen a default in the bell category
because someone had to make the important decisions. They can be changed by
adjusting the value of their respective CVs below.
Note that after you change the horn, bell or any other sound effect, you may need
to cycle the power (turn it off and on). And changing the default horn automatically
changes the doppler recording on F5 too.
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.
Sound levels are very much a matter of personal taste (especially if you are showing
signs of advanced deafness like we are), and what sounds great in one layout
environment may sound too loud or too soft in another. Fortunately, the 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 wish to keep.
Horns
• CV163=0 Nathan P5A (Default)
• CV163=1 Nathan P5A (Alternate)
• CV163=2 Nathan K5LA
Bells
• CV 164=0 Bronze Bell #1 (Default)
• CV 164=1 Steel Bell #1

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— VERY IMPORTANT —
Before you manually change any of the volume control CVs, you must set CV
31 to 16 and then CV 32 to 1. CV 31 and CV 32 are used as index selection
registers and if you don’t set them first, unspeakable things may happen to
your unit. You must set the CVs every time before changing any volume CV
settings.
Or just get a LokProgrammer. No, we will not teach you how to use it!
RTL TURBOLINER SOUND VOLUME SETTINGS
KEY FUNCTION CV DEFAULT RANGE YOUR VALUE
Master Volume 63 128 0-192
F1 Bell Volume 283 60 0-255
F2 Horn Volume 275 220 0-255
F3 Flange Squeal Volume 435 30 0-255
F4 HEP Turbine Volume 267 75 0-255
F5 Doppler Horn Volume 299 220 0-255
F8 Turbine Volume 259 100 0-255
F10 Independent Brake Volume 339 40 0-255
F11 Door Open/Close Volume 395 80 0-255
F13 Manual Change Ends Volume 267 75 0-255
F14 Grand Central Mode Volume 215 80 0-255
F15 Prototype Mode Volume 267 75 0-255
F19 Short Air Let Off Volume 443 80 0-255
F20 Air Compressor Volume 307 80 0-255
F21 Air Dryer Volume 387 80 0-255
F29 Air Dryer 387 80 0-255
FACTORY RESET
On your Turboliner, you can 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 restore. You did keep
notes, right? We hope so, because you have twins here. If you have to reset your
decoder, and you didn't write down your settings, we recommend resetting BOTH
power cars so that they can be reprogrammed (again) from the beginning.
You can NOT lose all of the pre-recorded sounds on your Turboliner decoder by
doing a factory reset. If you manage to lose all of the sounds on your locomotive

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then you have probably flame broiled your decoder with a voltage spike. Open up
your locomotive and serve it with some ketchup and lettuce on the side.
AWESOME SLOW SPEED THINGY (NOT RECOMMENDED)
On previous Rapido locomotives we have recommended using the “Awesome Slow
Speed Thingy” (our term) to adjust the motor settings. With the current ESU V5
decoders (such as the ones fitted to these models) we have found that this is not
necessary. We have calibrated the low speed settings on the decoder at the factory
to work best with our motor and drivetrain.
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
V5 decoder manual. This is available in the Support section of our web site.
LIMITED “FIVE-YEAR-ISH” WARRANTY
We will do our best to solve any problems or issues that you may have with your
Turboliner. If your trainset has any defects that originate from the factory, we will
repair them using new components or replace it outright should a repair not be
possible. However, we can only replace your models while we have additional ones
in stock. We normally keep spares for up to six months after a model is released. And
while we would love to have an unlimited supply of spare parts, note that eventually
these will run out too. If you are like most of us and – after purchasing this trainset –
you dismissed it to the shelf full of model boxes under the darkest corner of your layout
and are now just discovering it 30 years later after your friend ran theirs at the club,
then you are on your own if there are any issues. We’ve all probably retired at this
point and after realizing we retired too early, we all started our own model train
companies in our own basements in the hopes that one day we will achieve greatness.
There are a number of things that this warranty cannot cover. If your Turboliner
arrives with a couple of loose grab irons or underbody bits, there is a very good
chance that you can do 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 works wonders for
securing all sorts of parts and will not mar or damage your paint. Gorilla Glue...not
so much. However, if parts are missing that is another story – call us or send us an
email and we’ll send you some replacements.