the MRH Forum

TCS UWT-50 Update General discussion
Reply
MRH Author 423 posts bobmorning MRH Author 423 posts
bobmorning

Received this via email today:

 

Dear UWT-50 Pre-Order Holder,
As we at TCS reflect on this holiday season we want to take a moment to thank you for being one of our best supporters by investing in us to create and bring to market a new product! Thank you! We wanted to give you an update on the progress of the UWT-50 throttle.
Originally we planned on launching the product this past July but problems with the mold manufacturing pushed that date out of reach. Given the update we had from the mold maker we estimated we would be able to launch the product by the end of the year, unfortunately this does not look like it’s going to happen either.

The good news is the final molds for the case have been approved, and the last pieces needed to manufacture the UWT-50 are arriving at TCS! We will be working furiously through the holiday seasons with a goal of being able to begin shipping UWT-50’s at, or just after the end of January. I know this news has us excited, and we can’t wait to deliver on an incredible product for you this new year.

We apologize for the delays and the frustrations this has caused you and want to be transparent and assure you we are doing everything we can to get the UWT-50 to market. If you have any questions or concerns please send them to tcs@tcsdcc.com

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support during these times of massive supply chain delays, and unpredictable market effects!

Best Regards,
John Forsythe,
Owner, Train Control Systems

http://www.tcsdcc.com

Bob M.

Modeling the Western Maryland in the 1980's at http://wmrwy.com

20pixels.jpg 
Reply 1
jimfitch Prolific poster 5,274 posts
jimfitch

I got the same notice by

I got the same notice by email.  I appreciate the update. Looks like a couple more months but I have the UWT100 in the mean time and track to lay.

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
Reply 0
fmilhaupt Regular poster 191 posts
fmilhaupt
My throttles arrived this afternoon.

I'm taking them to tonight's work session on the Operations Road Show layout to try them out.

[UWT50sNew-jfm-Sm] 
Fritz Milhaupt - DCC Wrangler and Webmaster, Operations Road Show
https://www.operationsroadshow.com
Reply 2
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
Nice !

I pre-ordered 2 back when, no word on shipping yet.

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
fmilhaupt Regular poster 191 posts
fmilhaupt
My UWT-50Ps passed their audition last night beautifully.

Setting them up for the first time went exactly as described in the Quick Start guide. We use Digitrax with a LNWI receiver.

It's not obvious in the photo, but the throttles come with two different speed control knobs that you choose between. One knob has its thumb notch/indent set so that in Yard Mode, neutral is at twelve o'clock position relative to the throttle, and the other  is the opposite so that neutral has the knob indent at the six o'clock position.

Another guy and I spent most of the evening switching, and about half of it in Yard Mode. The throttles were very comfortable in our hands as we sorted about 90 cars out of an unreasonably  packed yard.

I like Yard Mode a lot for switching. When changing out of Yard Mode with the potentiometer version of the UWT-50, its behavior is clever- when you click the button to leave Yard Mode, you must turn the throttle back to the "regular" zero position before it will respond to speed changes again. This way you don't stop your engine, click out of Yard Mode, then have the locomotive take off at half throttle. There are probably six better ways to describe that...

The display is clear, sharp and readable from a wider angle than many LCD wall clocks. I didn't have time to play around with the throttles' advanced functions, but the throttles made a great impression by just plain working and being easy to understand, right out of the box. I will be offering these as an option to crews at upcoming operating sessions to see how they like them on the road jobs as well.
Fritz Milhaupt - DCC Wrangler and Webmaster, Operations Road Show
https://www.operationsroadshow.com
Reply 0
jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,978 posts
jeffshultz
I believe mine is supposed to arrive tomorrow. (Friday)

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
Reply 0
bobmorning MRH Author 423 posts
bobmorning
I got mine two days ago, nice.   Very pleased with the throttle and like the fact that as delivered the F11 (Ind Brake) is on the right side thumb switch.   I'll read the manual tonight, but setting it up is very much like the UWT-100 thottle.

Bob M.

Modeling the Western Maryland in the 1980's at http://wmrwy.com

20pixels.jpg 
Reply 0
keystonefarm Regular poster 330 posts
keystonefarm
trainzluvr wrote:
Nice !

I pre-ordered 2 back when, no word on shipping yet.

 Same here . I ordered a 100 at the same time at the special price. Got that right away but no 50 yet. ---  Ken 
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
keystonefarm wrote:

 Same here . I ordered a 100 at the same time at the special price. Got that right away but no 50 yet. ---  Ken 


I ordered towards the end of the offer, maybe that why we are at the tail end?

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
jimfitch Prolific poster 5,274 posts
jimfitch
I ordered the combo but no word on my UWT-50 yet, but maybe because I ordered the combo deal only a week or two before the end of the offer, I may be at the back of the queue.  Someone on Atlas mentioned getting there UWT-50 and enjoying using it for switching; I've emailed TCS for an update.

Edit:  Just got shipping notice today, my UWT-50 is on the way.

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
Anyone got more shipping notices, still nothing here...?

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
Matt Goodman Regular poster 466 posts
Matt Goodman
@trainzluvr, folks on the TCS mailing list are reporting receipt of their throttles, usually shortly after they received their shipping notices. I haven't received notice yet, but I also ordered mine very late in the pre-order window. My assumption is they are building and shipping them FIFO.

Matt Goodman
Columbus, OH, US
--------------------------
MRH Blog
VI Tower Blog - Along the tracks in pre-war Circleville, Ohio
Why I Model Steam - Why steam locomotion is in my blood
Reply 0
jimfitch Prolific poster 5,274 posts
jimfitch
I received my throttle about 1 1/2 weeks ago having received my shipping notice 2 week ago.   I did email them asking for an update on shipping before I received the shipping notice.  I had ordered mine as part of the combo deal a week or two before the special ended.  I'm not sure when that deadline was vs. the pre-order deadline for just the UWT-50.

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
I did the same, perhaps week or so before the deal ended. I suppose I'm last in line then...

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
keystonefarm Regular poster 330 posts
keystonefarm
Got my shipping notice last week and my 50 showed up on Friday. !!  Might be more in my future !!  ---  Ken 
Reply 1
jimfitch Prolific poster 5,274 posts
jimfitch
trainzluvr wrote:
I did the same, perhaps week or so before the deal ended. I suppose I'm last in line then...


Have you emailed them for an update?

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
I just received an email from TCS saying that my PayPal authorization for the throttle expired...

Except that I paid with a credit card directly back when, so following up with them now.

EDIT: Turns out it was only a credit card authorization, not a payment, and so it expired after a month. I paid now so hopefully I'll be getting a shipping notice soon !

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
Matt Goodman Regular poster 466 posts
Matt Goodman
trainzluvr wrote:
I just received an email from TCS saying that my PayPal authorization for the throttle expired...!


Ditto. I just gave them a call and Vivian said the throttles would ship tomorrow (2 UWT-50 Encoders).  Trainz, your last post reminded me that I hadn't checked my email this morning, so thanks for the reminder!  

Their email was perfect timing - I had typed up an email this weekend to ask for a status, with the intention of sending it sometime today if I hadn't heard anything. Now it's a moot point, and there's one less email they have to read.

Matt Goodman
Columbus, OH, US
--------------------------
MRH Blog
VI Tower Blog - Along the tracks in pre-war Circleville, Ohio
Why I Model Steam - Why steam locomotion is in my blood
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
Matt Goodman wrote:

Ditto. I just gave them a call and Vivian said the throttles would ship tomorrow (2 UWT-50 Encoders).  Trainz, your last post reminded me that I hadn't checked my email this morning, so thanks for the reminder!  


I also got 2 with Encoders - glad I'm not the only one apparently on the wrong side of the aisle (everyone is so pro-Knobs). 😄

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 0
Matt Goodman Regular poster 466 posts
Matt Goodman
trainzluvr wrote:

I also got 2 with Encoders - glad I'm not the only one apparently on the wrong side of the aisle (everyone is so pro-Knobs). 😄


I was initially split; friends Digitrax throttles use pots, but my NCE throttle has an encoder - so I could see the advantage of both. Ultimately I decided on the encoder to keep a consistent experience between my NCE and UWT100 throttles.  I was also influenced by some of the compare/contrast discussions going on during the pre-order period - although I don't remember what those arguments were since it was so long ago!  🙂

Matt Goodman
Columbus, OH, US
--------------------------
MRH Blog
VI Tower Blog - Along the tracks in pre-war Circleville, Ohio
Why I Model Steam - Why steam locomotion is in my blood
Reply 0
trainzluvr Prolific poster 1,239 posts
trainzluvr
I always though encoders were better than pots because they don't need to be re-set to the 0/middle position.

I'm not sure how TCS handles it, but if you switch locos, will the next loco just take off because the pot was set to some value other than 0 already.

Good news is that I've got my tracking number. 😃

 

YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr
Website: Trains Luvr
Reply 1
AlexW Prolific poster 2,776 posts
AlexW
I'm all for options, but I think that the UWT-50p is the far superior model of the two for a few reasons.

1. The UWT-100 already has an encoder thumbwheel, so the UWT-50e is just a variation on that type of control.
2. Encoder-based throttles that don't have buttons like the UWT-100 or NCE Pro Cab are nearly impossible to use with decoders programmed with high momentum, but they work perfectly well with potentiometers.
3. The UWT-50p offers a different experience, and that of the "traditional" knobby throttle where you know what speed you are setting simply by the pot orientation.

-----

Modeling the modern era freelanced G&W Connecticut Northern
Reply 0
jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,978 posts
jeffshultz
I'm not going to disagree with anyone's personal preference of encoder or potentiometer. 

In my own experience encoders tend to start losing their place and either don't increment/decrement when the knob is moved, or do so irregularly. 

So I ordered the UWT-50p model. 

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
Reply 0
YoHo Prolific poster 2,961 posts
YoHo
I'm so used to using the push button that I honestly don't care.

AS I've said before, to me that's closer, for a diesel to what a real diesel control is. 

I had some friends that preferred 14 speed steps specifically, because it was closer to the 8 notches (16 if including DB). You can make the case that a Diesel should only have 8 possible speed steps. That's the prototype. That's what a protothrottle does.
Reply 1
jimfitch Prolific poster 5,274 posts
jimfitch
I ordered the UWT-50p for the same reasons as above - position indicates relative speed across the speed range.

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
Reply 0
Reply