What's Neat This Week #120 Featuring TCS

TCS' Dan Mycio appears for the first time on the What's Neat This Week in Model Railroading show with Ken Patterson! Watch the video as Dan shares the inside scoop on the UWT-100. Also check out the locomotives available from Korea Brass USA, now on sale for viewers of the show! Check out what's new and exciting in the hobby with Ken Patterson and the What's Neat This Week podcast.

UWT-100 First Firmware Update is Now Available!

Release 1.4 is a minor software release that fixes critical bugs and brings minor improvements in certain areas based on the feedback of our users.

Changes:

Recall functionality

• The number of available recall slots was increased from 8 to 20.
• The locomotive which is currently selected on the throttle is no longer shown in the Menu > Recall list.
• The Menu > Recall list title is updated to state clearly when the list is empty.
• All entries can now be deleted from the Recall List.

Emergency Stop functionality

Based on user feedback, we made the Emergency Stop functionality safer to use and more predictable in behavior across different systems. We made the following changes to protect your valuable equipment from accidents:

• An Emergency Stop can no longer be released by changing the speed, such as touching the wheel by accident.
• In the default configuration your locomotive speed will be set to zero when engaging the Emergency Stop. This will prevent your locomotive from accelerating when you release the Emergency Stop. Note: when operating an entire show layout from a single throttle, we recommend configuring the Emergency Stop button to operate only the layout power option, and disabling the “Current Locomotive” E-Stop functionality. In this mode all locomotives retain their speed setting from prior to the E-Stop.
• It is no longer possible to release the Emergency Stop while navigating the menus or other auxiliary screens. You can still engage the E-Stop from any screen by pressing the red button (one or more times).
• The throttle will now ask for confirmation before releasing the Emergency Stop. This makes releasing the Emergency Stop a multiple-button-press process to ensure it is intentional. On the confirmation screen we will remind you what speed your locomotive will have after releasing the E-Stop.
• Fixed bug where setting a locomotive to Emergency Stop then selecting a new locomotive caused the new locomotive to be incorrectly reported to be in Emergency Stop mode.

Park mode

• Added a new action: Menu > Operations > Park/Un-Park Current Loco. This engages/releases the Emergency Stop function on the currently selected locomotive, regardless of the setting of the red E-Stop button. This can be used by operators whose train needs to remain stopped in a siding to prevent accidental movements of the train. The speed buttons and knob/wheel will not work while parked.

Bugs fixed in this release:

• Fixed bug where single-stepping speed increase could not go past speed 49 on certain WiThrottle Protocol based systems.
• Fixed bug in Yard Mode where changing direction using the yard mode buttons sometimes caused a brief movement of the locomotive in the previous direction.
• Fixed bug where the throttle would not recall the last locomotive after a power cycle in certain situations.

How to install the update

Note: You must have the most recent version of TCS D.E.P.O.T. installed on your computer to download and install this update into your device. If you do not have the program installed, you can download it by clicking Here. Even if you already have the program installed, it needs to be updated to the latest version in order for the firmware update process to work properly. Re-download and install the program before continuing. Note: If during the installation progress the installer reports that Bonjour SDK was corrupted, select the "repair" option to continue and proceed as normal.

If you are using a Mac or Linux computer, CLICK HERE for alternative instructions, as the DEPOT tool is not yet officially available for these platforms.

Once you have installed D.E.P.O.T., launch the program and Log In using your TCS User Credentials. Note that the TCS website and D.E.P.O.T. use separate login credentials than those you use when shopping with us. If you have not yet created those new login credentials, click Here. The new patch file will not become available until you log in.

It is recommended that you observe the battery level in your UWT-100 before starting the update process. If your indicator shows less than 25-50% remaining, replace your batteries as a precaution.

To install update 1.4 onto your UWT-100, follow these steps:

1. Press and hold any button for three seconds to wake up the throttle
2. Press Button 2 to complete the booting process
3. Navigate to your network connection options via the menu and connect to the WiFi network you will be using to update the throttle. (This will be the same network your computer running D.E.P.O.T. is connected to.) If necessary, create a new profile for this network. If you are normally using LNWI/MRC-Wi/WifiTrax-NCE devices, power those down. If during your normal operations you use the same WiFi to which your D.E.P.O.T computer is connected to (typical for JMRI users), you can skip to step 5.
4. Once the throttle has successfully connected to the network you will be using to update via D.E.P.O.T., power down the throttle.
5. Once powered down, wake the throttle up again.
6. Press Button 7 to boot the throttle into "bootloader mode." Do NOT press button 2.
7. Launch TCS D.E.P.O.T., select Update Firmware>Update Throttle, and follow the on-screen instructions for updating a throttle.
8. Select update "UWT-100 R1.4" via the drop-down and verify your throttle is connected to D.E.P.O.T. - The throttle will display "Connected to LCC" and D.E.P.O.T. will report your throttle ID number if the connection is successful. Please allow up to 2 minutes for the connection to complete (this is an extreme for very slow networks and old computers. A normal connection should only take a few seconds). If this process continues to fail, ensure both the throttle and the computer being used to update your throttle are connected to the same WiFi.
9. Press "Write" to begin the updating process.

If you encounter issues during the updating process, follow these troubleshooting steps before contacting TCS technical support:

1. Ensure your throttle is connected to the same network as the computer you will be using to update it.
2. Ensure you have downloaded and installed the most recent version of D.E.P.O.T.
3. Make sure you Log In every time you launch D.E.P.O.T.
4. Ensure JMRI is not running a WiThrottle Server.

Note: If you use JMRI and have a WiThrottle server running, stop the server or Quit JMRI before updating any devices using D.E.P.O.T.

TCS Introduces UK Steam Decoder

TCS is announcing a new addition to our WOWSound lineup: WOWSteam UK!

Created to meet the needs of DCC and DC modellers in the United Kingdom, the TCS WOWSteam UK decoder comes pre-loaded with 10 chuff sets, 16 whistles, and a variety of other sounds perfect for UK modellers. This decoder features authentic CD-quality recordings from locations across the UK including the North Tyneside Steam Railway and Stephenson Railway Museum, Perrygrove Railway, and more. This decoder is available now in both hardwire and 21-pin varieties.

WOWSound
With WOWSound decoders you know you are getting the real sounds of locomotives carefully recorded, preserved, and played back without distortion or manipulation. WOWSound’s signature CD-Quality audio provides modelers with the closest experience to standing track side.

Chuff Sets
This decoder comes pre-loaded with a Chuffinity™️ chuffset. Instead of the same chuff sound repeated over and over, chuffs vary in character, volume, and intensity in prototypical fashion. Featuring a tenfold increase in the number of chuff sounds per locomotive over previous WOWSteam offerings, WOWSteam with Chuffinity creates diverse, realistic sounds to match your operations and environment every time.

All of our other standard chuff sets come with WOWSteam UK decoders too, including generic chuff sets for light, medium, and heavy steam locomotives.

Whistles
You'll find 16 different whistle types available in WOWSteam UK decoders. From the robust LNER 3-Chime, to the modest whistle of the Ashington No. 5, a wide variety of single note and multi-note chimes are included to match your prototypes.

Operational Features:

• Button actuated braking
• Extended momentum for realistic acceleration and deceleration
• Back EMF for slow speed operation
• Automatic sounds when operating on DC track
• Supports 14/28/128 speed step modes
• Both simple and advanced consisting for MU (Multiple Unit) operation
• Supports User Loadable Speed Tables for completely custom speed curves

Light Features:

• Fully remappable light functions (on buttons F0-F12)
• 20 different lighting effects
• 6+ light functions for realistic lighting
• Light Mode/Sound Mode function mapping that allows each button to perform two actions independently

Sound Features:

• 1W+ amplifier for powerful sound in a small package
• Load-Based motive power sounds that adjust automatically to the load, speed, and track conditions on your layout
• Variable length horn/whistle sound for custom signalling
• True CD-Quality Audio - WOWSound is the ONLY decoder with 16bit 44,100Hz audio files for unparalleled fidelity
• A large number of sound variations to make MUs more enjoyable
• Page mapping that allows you to control all functions with just buttons 0-9

Head to our shop and reserve some TCS WOWSteam UK decoders for your locomotives. Our first shipment is on it's way to our UK branch for distribution, so don't wait to give these decoders a try! Visit our store to place an order today!
 

UWT-100 Consisting Intro on "What's Neat"

We are proud to join the What's Neat show as a sponsor, and support Ken Patterson and the rest of the team as they continue to produce interesting and informative content for the model railroading community. 

Take a look at this week's segment on the UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle. James Regier discusses the ease of consisting with our throttle compared to other systems, and the compatibility of the UWT-100 with NCE systems, Digitrax systems, and more. Segment begins at 18:00.

Rapido-TCS Sound Decoders – Coming Soon!

The article below is reproduced from Rapido Newsletter Vol. 122, released Friday, March 13. We are very excited to be working with Rapido Trains and look forward to many successful collaborations!  - Stephen

Article begins here:

Earlier I mentioned Rapido-TCS decoders in the HO scale M420. I'd like to tell you more about this new collaboration.

We feel it is best to have more than one decoder supplier, and we've been very impressed with the folks at Train Control Systems. Our main concern with having two suppliers is that we want our locomotives to work well together. So we have been working with TCS to create a custom Rapido-TCS decoder that is fully compatible with our ESU LokSound-equipped locomotives. We are continuing to use ESU for many of our locomotive projects, and we want you to feel confident running your different Rapido engines together.

Please note that the Rapido-TCS decoder is not a WOWSound decoder. It is a new collaborative product.

Mohan checks out the Quality Control camera at TCS headquarters. Inspecting the decoder circuit
boards manually used to take half an hour. Now it takes less than a minute.

TCS is a family business and their decoders are all made in-house in the USA. This month we visited their shop in Pennsylvania and we'll be posting a video in the next few days. The video will show the TCS operation as well as how our ESU-equipped and TCS-equipped engines can play nicely together. The vibe at TCS is almost exactly the same as the vibe at Rapido – you can tell these guys really love what they are doing.

Mohan is entranced by one of the TCS Pick And Place machines. This creates the decoders while you watch. It's really neat!

TCS now has a wi-fi compatible throttle (also made in the USA) which was a joy to use, and they have almost finished the development of a TCS Desktop Programmer which does exactly what it says on the box: it will allow you to connect your PC to your track and customize the programming of your locomotives with easy-to-use software. It's also universal and can adjust the settings of all of your DCC-equipped locomotives. The programmers should hit store shelves around the same time as our M420.

Rapido-TCS decoders will all have Keep Alive® and will incorporate many of the other proprietary TCS features as options.

- Jason Shron, Rapido Trains Inc.