TCS Now Taking Pre-Orders for UWT-50 Mini-Throttle

[C855B]

$200, $50 off if you pay in full with pre-order. Shipped by 7/31/2021.

https://tcsdcc.com/mini-throttle

Available in two versions: "potentiometer" dial with hard stops, and "encoder" endless, like the UWT-100.

I've been running with their UWT-100 for several months and love the heck out of it.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

OK TCS. TCS OK.

You have my attention.

Man, I'll tell ya, if I didn't already have about all the DCC I'll need for a long time, I'd be pretty excited about the great options out there these days.

[CodyO]

It looks cool but I'd rather the ESU.
Larger screen and knob.

[greenwizard88]

What's the difference between the two? The only differences I can see are the wheel type, and 4 programable function buttons.

Like Ed said, if I didn't already have everything I needed...

[C855B]

What's the difference between the two? The only differences I can see are the wheel type, and 4 programable function buttons. ...

What I read in the description is "...full functionality...". So, honestly, if there's no functional difference between the two, you posed a good question - what are you getting with the UWT-100 at $100 more that you aren't getting with the new little brother?

I can answer that a little, maybe. At least based on the prototype rendering, the UWT-50 is going to be a little awkward for one-hand operation, where one hand holds, the other twists the knob. I one-hand the UWT-100 nearly all the time as the buttons and the scroll-wheel throttle are an easy thumb's reach. Is it worth the extra $100? I guess we'll find out when the UWT-50 arrives in the mailbox. 

[trainzluvr]

I don't think UWT-50 is meant to be used with two hands, especially because the body is slim and fits inside the palm well. You are supposed to use your thumb to either move the potentiometer or the scroll wheel, while holding the throttle with your fingers.

UWT-100 is a great all-around throttle modern, but UWT-50 really hits the spot both price and feature wise. If you haven't had a chance to try UWT-100 I really suggest you do, because the ergonomics are excellent, imho much better than the new Digitrax "curvy" edition.

Also, both UWT-100 and UWT-50 support LCC (Layout Command & Control, newly NMRA adopted protocol) - the next generation upgrade for controlling accessories, to go along with DCC.

LCC is a huge move forward, and long awaited one as well (been a few decades since DCC came out).

These new throttles will work with the upcoming TCS Command Station as well, which will also support LCC. What's cool about all this is that both throttles and the Command Station are software upgredable, so when new functionality get added into LCC (after NMRA adopts more features from the OpenLCB protocol) you just need to flash the new firmware and voila.

To give you an example of what LCC can do, here's my West Staging electronics panel:



Bottom left is a custom LCC Command Station I built based on an Open Source project on Github. To the right of that are RR-Cirkits Tower/Signal-LCC Nodes and SCSD-8 controllers for my Atlas remote turnouts (solenoids).
Above those are 3 custom Railcom IO LCC boards which control Track Power On/Off, perform Block Occupancy Detection with Railcom, and provide Current Protection, on each channel (there are 6 channels per board).

From a UWT-100, I can punch in a single DCC Accessory Address, e.g. 1201, and via LCC it will power up one of my staging tracks and align the ladders on both ends of my yard so I can take the train out of staging, while being on the other side of the layout room.

All I had to do to configure this is enter the LCC Events for each of these functions into the Command Station.



You can chain as many events as you have memory for, and control any number of accessories along the line (a solo operating session where I align all my turnouts on the entire layout to take the train a specific route, all in one swoop - keying-in a single DCC address). No mucking with wires, diode matrix, or proprietary protocols and hardware such as LocoNet (LCC is a partial adoption of OpenLCB protocol, which has even more functionality and is Open Source licensed)

LCC/OpenLCB does not require a computer running to operate it, after it is configured (obviously you need a computer or a mobile phone, to configure it via your web browser).

On top of that, a Dispatcher can also control those staging tracks, or any other DCC accessory at the same time, via JMRI for example, and they do not even have to be in the layout room, my house, or the country for that matter. I could route LCC over the internet anywhere in the world for them to operate it.

Sorry I went off topic of the throttle a bit here. I recently posted a video on my YouTube channel of what OpenLCB can do when it comes to selecting locomotives using UWT-100 via LCC, so if interested, check that out.

[peteski]

What application is shows in this screen capture?



I'm asking because the same silly Digitrax's nomenclature of "thrown" and "closed" is used.  That is the lingo used on the real railroads (we had a discussion about this some time ago, with "real" RR employees participating in the discussion).  I don't know whether Digitrax invented those terms, but IMO, they should be put to rest.

[trainzluvr]

It's from the ESP32CS (LCC Command Station) Web UI, and the nomenclature is not set in stone. This panel will apply to any DCC Accessory, in case of LCC, not just turnouts, thus the wording is moot.

Please provide a link to that discussion you had, as obviously if there is a better terminology, it should be used.

[peteski]

The discussion starts at this post and continues in the several following posts.

[trainzluvr]

Thanks, we'll review.

[reinhardtjh]

I don't know where it was announced, but I found this:

In honor of the Amherst Virtual Train Show, TCS is offering special pricing on the UWT-100 and UWT-50 when purchased as a bundle. These throttles are LCC compatible throttles that will work with any LCC command station, including the TCS Command Station and the ESP32 Command Station currently in development. In the meantime, these throttles also work with any existing DCC system when used with WiThrottle Protocol.


With this order you will receive a UWT-100 shipped out right away, and a UWT-50 Pre-Order which we expect to ship in July of 2021.

If you want both, then it's not a bad price - just a bit hard to take all at once.

TCS Page: https://tcsdcc.com/Zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1301

[C855B]

I don't know where it was announced, but I found this:

If you want both, then it's not a bad price - just a bit hard to take all at once.

TCS Page: https://tcsdcc.com/Zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1301

You're right, it amounts to getting the UWT-50 at half price. Or the UWT-100 at $50 off, take your pick. 

Which reminds me, I need to download the 2.0 firmware for the -100. The update list includes a couple of things I asked for the first week I had it, especially turnout control. Reminder to myself and other early-adopters: FRESH batteries before you update! I nearly bricked the thing as the batteries depleted almost to zero during the upload. 

[C855B]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... a year later...

Shipping confirmation today on a UWT-50P headed in my direction. ETA is Friday.

I probably should update the firmware on the UWT-100 to compare apples to apples. Per TCS product notes, the only difference is supposed to be ergonomics. It'll be interesting to have a potentiometer-style control for a change.

[C855B]

https://tcsdcc.com/UWT-50P

UWT-50P arrived this morning. Owing to familiarity with the UWT-100 I had the -50 setup and running trains in about five minutes. Layout control is JMRI.

It's going to be hard to pick a favorite between the two. The -50P - the 'P' is important - has a slight detent in the center of the throttle dial. I asked myself, "This couldn't be for a yard mode, could it?" Yes, it sure was. Yard mode was selected by one of the soft keys, and puts '0' on the dial at the detent, reverse to the left, forward to the right, max throttle either way is ~52. Indent in the dial makes thumb operation a piece of cake. I like the feel of the -50. Light and small, it feels good in the hand. It will definitely be my go-to for switching!

Only gripe is the soft key locations take some getting used to, with #1 and #4 on the left and right sides of the case, respectively.

Heartily recommended. I'm likely to pick up two or three more for visiting operators - whenever the layout is "good enough" for operating sessions - and retire the pile of discarded smartphones I've been keeping for visitors.

[Jbub]

https://tcsdcc.com/UWT-50P

UWT-50P arrived this morning. Owing to familiarity with the UWT-100 I had the -50 setup and running trains in about five minutes. Layout control is JMRI.

It's going to be hard to pick a favorite between the two. The -50P - the 'P' is important - has a slight detent in the center of the throttle dial. I asked myself, "This couldn't be for a yard mode, could it?" Yes, it sure was. Yard mode was selected by one of the soft keys, and puts '0' on the dial at the detent, reverse to the left, forward to the right, max throttle either way is ~52. Indent in the dial makes thumb operation a piece of cake. I like the feel of the -50. Light and small, it feels good in the hand. It will definitely be my go-to for switching!

Only gripe is the soft key locations take some getting used to, with #1 and #4 on the left and right sides of the case, respectively.

Heartily recommended. I'm likely to pick up two or three more for visiting operators - whenever the layout is "good enough" for operating sessions - and retire the pile of discarded smartphones I've been keeping for visitors.

I was just looking at the TCS's website this morning taking a look at the throttles. Now that you have both of them, but after you've had some time to test the 50, can the 50 do everything the 100 can but just in a smaller box that is 100 buck less?