The mechanism. After removing the coupler boxes, I used my fingernails to carefully spread the sides of the plastic body shell away from the chassis. It’s a tight fit, so I found it helpful to insert wooden toothpicks on each side to keep the sides spread. Then I slowly wiggled the body shell free.
The motor and flywheels are in the center of the chassis. Gearboxes power all four axles. All eight wheels pick up current.
The ESU LokSound 5 decoder is plugged into a 21-pin socket on the main printed-circuit motherboard, which is attached to the chassis. A flat, cellphone-style speaker provides clear sound without any buzzes or distortion.
DCC operation. On our DCC test track, the FA-2 crawled along at 1 scale mph in speed step 1 and accelerated smoothly to a top speed of 80 scale mph. The top speed of a prototype FA was 65 mph.
The top speed of the DCC-equipped model, as well as every aspect of the decoder’s performance, sound, and lighting, can be adjusted with configuration variables (CVs). I find it easiest to program LokSound decoders using the free ESU LokProgrammer software available at loksound.com. I also used a LokProgrammer computer interface, which is sold separately at a suggested retail price of $179.99.
Pressing function 8 starts up the sound of the Alco 244 diesel engine. Pressing function 9, Drive/Hold, allowed me to manually notch the engine sound without affecting the locomotive speed. Other user-triggered effects include the headlight, dimmer, bell, backup light, and dynamic brake sound sequence.
The default horn is an accurate reproduction of a Wabco E-2 single chime. There are also four other horn options to choose from. Function 5, the so-called Doppler horn, triggers a grade-crossing sequence with a fading tone.
Lighting functions can also be controlled separately. These include the headlight, backup light, and number boxes. The classification lights can be toggled between white, green, and off.
The model features an independent brake controlled by pressing F11. On our sample, this function wasn’t enabled to actually stop the locomotive, so I had to set up that feature using our LokProgrammer.
Since we received a pair of FA-2s and an FB-2, I advance consisted the locomotives to run in an A-B-A configuration. The LokSound 5 decoders support functions 21 and 22, which allowed me to set the consist function controls so that only the lead unit’s headlight, bell, and horn operated under the consist address. All the units ran together smoothly without any additional speed matching required.
Direct-current (DC) operation. Out of the box, our three FA samples ran erratically on our DC test track. The horn kept turning on, there was no direction control, and the models sped up very fast. The fix is simple but requires a Lok-Programmer, DCC system, or analog programmer such as an MRC Tech 6.
Using the analog operation menu in the LokProgrammer software, I turned off the Use Quantum Programmer option (CV50 = 2). This gave me back direction control.
To smooth out the sound and motor performance I increased the analog starting voltage from 40 to 50 (CV125 = 50) and reduced the motor hysteresis setting from 30 to 5 (CV130 = 5).
After I made those changes, the sounds and lights turned on at 6.25V and the model rolled smoothly at 4 scale mph after I applied 7V to the track. It accelerated smoothly to 67 scale mph at 12V.
On a DC layout, sounds are limited to the engine and a squealing brake sound when the throttle is reduced. The headlight operates according to the direction of travel, but the backup light is nonfunctional unless a controller such as an MRC Tech 6 is used.
Rapido Trains has brought the definitive Alco FA-2 and FB-2 to HO scale. Fans of classic transition-era diesel power won’t want to miss them.