Anyone try and run an atlas?????

1st generation rs1 with the latest rs1 with cruise. I have turned the cruise off and tried to make a lashup with them. I followed the instructions in the lionel command book to a T but they still act as they are running seperate.
By that I mean both couplers open at same time front or rear, both headlights stay on and I gave the command with F and R to each loco like the book says.
They do power up when I pu***R 7 which is the number I assigned them, and do not require their indivudual ID to power up. Am I expecting too much for a lash up. Dave.