Introducing the TCS Documentation Wiki

TCS is launching an online documentation platform! The TCS Documentation Wiki (https://docs.tcsdcc.com) is an online encyclopedia that we will be populating with technical content, tips, and resources for TCS decoders, accessories, and throttles.
We will be continuously expanding on topics until we have complied a comprehensive knowledge base that is accessible to everyone and always up-to-date.
While we're busy moving our existing documentation to the wiki, we're also looking for suggestions on new articles and content that our users would find helpful. Please feel free to send us your suggestions!
Curious? Head to docs.tcsdcc.com and browse around! We recommend starting with our UWT-100 throttle article.

UWT-100 throttle on "What's Neat This Week"

The UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle from TCS was just previewed on Ken Patterson's "What's Neat This Week in Model Railroading" Video Podcast. James Regier, a podcast regular, pre-ordered his UWT-100 last summer and took it on the show as soon as the box arrived at his home. 

The UWT-100 discussion lasts from about 14:15 to 19:40. Check out the video below!
 

The video transcript is below:

Ken Patterson: So James Regier, you've got something special going on tonight: tell us about this throttle system, who is this made by, what is this?

James Regier: This was kind of an exciting thing to arrive in the mail today. This is the new Universal Wi-Fi Throttle from TCS Train Control Systems and it's designed to be compatible with any system out there as long as it's connected to Wi-Fi.

Ken: So this will work with NCE?

James: You can connect it up to your NCE system.

Ken: And Digitrax? 

James: Yes. The best way is probably to connect it through JMRI like you would your cell phone but once you do... this thing is fully loaded. I mean, you can easily consist your trains on this, it has up to 30 functions that you can access on it, it has it has eight different programmable buttons and you can set these as as you like, it even has a flashlight for if you’re doing night operations like we did at [K10s] last week where they just shut down the lights and you have the whole layout lit up by either the buildings that they have lit on the layout or the headlights on your locomotive, so there was a lot of thought that went into this. It has the same ergonomic qualities that the NCE throttle has, in fact, it feels very similar to those, it's kind of like the NCE throttle.

Ken: it's got the same - what is it - the slide switch with your thumb? 

James: Yeah, that nice little thumb wheel.

Ken: Now this is something you can use with Digitrax and/or NCE or any of the other systems out there that you're connected to Wi-Fi on?

James: Any system you like as long as it's Wi-Fi.

Ken: And the nice thing about this that I like is you don't have to recharge it so that means that if the battery is low don't have to quit running trains until it charges up again.

James: Yeah just two AAs right in the back, not even a special battery size.

Ken: And it automatically shuts off so if you don't touch it or handle it for a little while you don't worry about the batteries going dead. Those are two important things about a throttle system. So this essentially replaces your cell phone but makes all thirty functions available on the keypad.

James: Right and you know it was just one of those things. I saw that TCS was announcing them in the summer for pre-order and I got kind of excited about it because you know I like to use the TCS WOW decoders in all my locomotives just because they're very innovative with their sound and they have some of the best quality sound out there - at least in my opinion - and so I knew that that when they would take on a project like this they would do it over-the-top and and I've not been disappointed so far.

Ken: That’s great, and you bought this, they didn’t send this to you? This is an endorsement? This is what we do.

James: The the only thing - when I when they told him that I would like to talk about it on the show, they sent me a standard face instead of the serial number case that you'd get with the pre-order. Just because this is the standard case that you'd get with the throttle and they didn't want the impression that you'd get the serial number on it.

Campbell Rice: That's always so much better because when I'm using my phone I always get a phone call you know so now you don't have to worry about that.

James: And the other thing that I've the other thing is when you're using your phone - suppose you want to take a picture of your train and you do it and suddenly you've lost control of your train and I've noticed with my iPhone that you you not only lose control of your train but you lose your consists, you lose everything else and you have to dial it back up and that means that the automatic train stop kicks in and so  it can mess up the whole thing.

Campbell: That’s a game changer.

James: But with this, none of that’s a factor, it's like you're walking around with a regular throttle. And the the nice thing is it'll it can pick up anybody's WiFi so if you're wanting to go to a club layout or if you're an operating group or that sort of thing, anybody who has WiFi you can just go from layout to layout and hook up and connect and they'll probably be more comfortable with you setting up with your throttle here than they would with your phone just because they're there always seems to become some concern that if you have your phone hooked up into their network that that's gonna mess something up.

Campbell: So what's the price point on that? 

James: The price point is right around 300 dollars so you know it's about the cost of a premium locomotive these days. So that’s the price point they were working at, and this is the first actually in a network of throttles that will be coming out from TCS including some that are a bit more stripped-down than this, that would more resemble the NCE handheld mini throttle, with a reduced number of features, with a potentiometer on it.

Ken: I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with. Just the fact that you bought this on your own... this is a brand new product on the market and you can see first on What's Neat show - that's what I like. I love it when manufacturers share their stuff with us, to share with the best people in the world out there - our viewers. 

James: Oh - and the neat thing I gotta say is, because I did the pre-order I got a coffee mug just like yours!

Ken: I got one of those around here somewhere - Yes, the TCS coffee mug!  I'll tell you what that was a nice gift thanks guys. I don't know how you guys knew I love caffeine but rock and roll you helped me with my fix.

TCS Opens UK Office

Train Control Systems (TCS) announces that a new location is now open in Bromsgrove, England to better serve the needs of UK customers. This expansion of TCS will handle order fulfillment and direct shipments for the UK and EU as well as warranty repair. 

The move to direct sales in the UK will focus on competitive pricing, shipping from within the UK, and product support from a local staff with a wealth of experience in the model railway industry.  

"We are excited to return to the UK market and interact with the passionate, talented modellers there, many of who prefer TCS DCC products on their layouts. We look forward to dealing directly in the UK."  - John Forsythe, President

Train Control Systems UK
P.O. Box 17749
Bromsgrove 
B60 9NJ
United Kingdom
https://tcsdcc.com

Phone: 074973 89826
Email: uk_sales@tcsdcc.com

Train Control Systems has been manufacturing high-quality DCC decoders for over 20 years. Recently, they added control systems to their product lineup with the introduction of the UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle, a high-tech innovative handheld controller that is compatible with most DCC systems. More information available here.

For additional information or other inquiries, please reach out to tcs@tcsdcc.com.

Throttles are SHIPPING NOW!

It's been a great week at TCS! We completed our first production run of UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttles! If you didn't pre-order a throttle but would like to order one for yourself, our online cart is now stocked up Universal WiFi Throttles looking for a new home at your club or personal layout! 

Take a look below at some behind-the-scenes snapshots of this week as we assembled, packaged, and shipped out our first run of UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttles:

We'd like to give a special shout-out to customer WALTER RENTSCHLER! He was the first person to sign up for a Universal WiFi Throttle pre-order! Everyone was surprised to see that we had an order within the first hour of going live with pre-orders, and that was Walter! Above, you can see a close-up of the first pre-order throttle that shipped out to him - if you pre-ordered, you'll get a shipment from us in the next week or so as well!

Pre-orders are a leap of faith, and we thank you for your faith in us and your continued patience throughout this process. We’re proud of the product we created, and we hope you have as much fun using it as we did making it.

On behalf of the entire TCS team, THANK YOU!

John Forsythe, President

Interested in learning more about the Universal WiFi Throttle? We put together a few information pages that may help you along the way. Take a look at them here:

Throttle Cases are Here!

This is not a long update, but it is a MAJOR one. After months of problems and slowdowns with the UWT-100 case design process, we finally recieved the cases for the first production run of the UWT-100 Universal WiFi Throttle! We were so excited that we put together another unboxing video! Click to watch it below:

Now that the final pieces are in place, we're excited to finish production and begin shipping out throttles in February! If you're attending the Amherst show this weekend in West Springfield, Massachusetts, be sure to stop by and give our throttles a test run!