WTIU

Last I heard was April 2022. 

They keep pushing it out.  They already have the $, so I guess no motivation to move.

Well, a lot has happened in the last few months!

@AllanK posted:

They keep pushing it out.  They already have the $, so I guess no motivation to move.

There's a massive supply chain issue with electronic components right now, in addition to shipping issues. The delay is very much out of their hands at this point.

I guess that is true.  I'm waiting patiently.

One Hobby Shop has one on the bay for $900+.

@Rigatoni Express Railroad posted:

One Hobby Shop has one on the bay for $900+.

Since it hasn't shipped from the factory, that's a neat trick!

Sure is...but  what can you do?  6 months to a year's interest on other people's $$  good little gig

@AllanK posted:

Sure is...but  what can you do?  6 months to a year's interest on other people's $$  good little gig

That little bit of interest is lost to rising inflation.  I have one on preorder and my dealer didn't require a deposit.

Mine is pre-ordered and fully paid for

Does anyone know if this is still expected for April? It doesn't look like MTH is keeping their shipping schedule up to date anymore cause it has a 2021 date

Hello everyone.  Does anyone have an update on the WTIU shipping date yet?

PRK

Thanks Mike - most helpful.  I did not have a chance to listen to this last night.  The most striking thing to me is that these things have not even been built yet, despite all of the previous rumors to the contrary, because of unavailable components.  I am more than a bit cynical but I suspect that the end of the year availability estimate will also get moved back.

Best to all

PRK

If we're talking about the new wi-fi 50-1039, I'm hearing January. I have a question. MTH states you can run Lionel TMCC with this unit. Does anyone know if you would need a TMCC or Legacy base, make this work? 

@MACADO 1 posted:

If we're talking about the new wi-fi 50-1039, I'm hearing January. I have a question. MTH states you can run Lionel TMCC with this unit. Does anyone know if you would need a TMCC or Legacy base, make this work?

Of course you must have a TMCC or Legacy base. No MTH product ever made or likely ever will be made transmits the 455KHz radio signal that is Lionel TMCC/Legacy to the engine. At most the system knows and can send the serial data commands to a Lionel base that then transmits the actual TMCC/Legacy command.

FYI this was also covered over here https://ogrforum.com/...2#149943328429214392

This post by @MartyE

Also, to get full legacy- must be a Lionel Legacy or new CAB3 base, and the all important Lionel LCS module SER2 (and also a PDI cable and possibly power system depending on base), and the MTH serial data cable 50-1032, along with also requiring the premium DCS app license.

Both sides are a little guilty on the "what extra bits are required". Again, for whatever reason, Lionel made it such that you need a SER2 to perform some level of translation of the commands to actually get full legacy functionality for the original 990 Legacy base. Then on CAB3 base, you need a SER2 because there is no native serial port. The main difference being the 990 Legacy base install and SER2 needs the PDI starter Y cable that includes the PDI power adapter because the Legacy base serial port does not supply any power for the LCS modules. The Base3 install, the base has powered PDI ports built in to power LCS modules, but no serial port, so you need a normal PDI cable and LCS SER2 to give the Base3 a serial port.

On the MTH side, while in theory serial is serial- the 50-1032 cable has some buffering and level translation to ensure compatibility with Lionel and other products. And then the need for the Premium DCS app license "upgrade" that unlocks the greyed out features in the app.

Speaking as an "old timer" but a recent re-entry back, from what I have been reading, it sounds like I should 1) treasure my two working, older TIU's with working handheld remotes, 2) forget about the wifi TIU and what it does (it does not do much if it is impossible/expensive to get) 3) guard my PS2 3V trains with my life 4) anticipate ultimate failure of my PS2 5V boards/trains 5) forget about buying new PS3 items unless I am desperate (seems to be limited selection, and high prices - though some places have diesels for the $375 range) 6) put stuff on the tracks, and enjoy the trains and running them while I still can. At 75 years old, how much longer to do I have?!?

Funny. Around 2000, the older Lionel trains seemed antiquated when the "new" MTH stuff came out. I used to tell people it was as close to "running a real train" as they could get. Oh, a few hiccups with PS1 chips scrambling, but PS2 seemed much more reliable. Barry and others had figured out the best ways to implement the TIU-AIU systems to everyone's delight, and things seemed flourishing.

Now, here we are, over 20 some years later, and the PS2/older TIU stuff is "antiquated" and the younger guys (they are the only ones I am familiar with using it) are running very expensive engines with their Iphone/droid sytems like it had been around forever. Locals here have all new PS3, or PS2 to 3 that they have paid to upgrade (that works if the 2 is Premier) and think nothing of paying $1500 to 2K for newer MTH steam (I guess it is new)

Only the "poor" people are running conventional or PS1 now. Mike did make some really nice engines when he first broke from Lionel. Heavy metal, good detail, QSI sound, no batts, a good basic runner were the hallmarks. Next came the PS1 items, and sound was even better! We all could not believe how heads-and-shoulders above the older Lionel, early Mike items the PS1 was. Even starter sets, with cheap F3 diesels were great deals. A set with a PS1 engine with great sounds, speach,  (some with smoke) remote coupler, 3 cars, an oval of track, a 100 or 75 watt power brick...all for a very reasonable price. Some for $200 to $300...wow. Figure $150 for the engine, $100 for the cars, $100 for the brick all as a unit. Seemed a deal.

Then.....PS2, TIU's and nearly full control of everything a few years later!! Could it get any better than that?  At the time, Lionel was probably as good, maybe better...but I was sold on this upstart from Maryland (my home state) who was taking on a giant like Lionel, and creating what I thought was the next "sliced bread" in the train hobby. I often wonder how many guys my age, hauled older trains out of the closet and attic at that time, and dove back into the hobby just because of PS1 and PS2 and all of the new features they provided. Say what you want about Mike, he spurred the hobby and rejuvenated the interest. I know of older guys like myself, and newer 20 somethings, who bought those starter sets, moved on the PS1 and then PS2 just because of all the newer technology.

A guy named Rich Foster, from MTH came to the local hobby shop run by Walt Dennison, and showed Walt and I the in's and out's of that TIU stuff, and then we showed other locals. Soon, judges, teachers, shop keepers were buying MTH items, taking them home and setting up HUGE boards! Plenty of stock and money allowed that to happen...plus the nostalgic appeal of running trains - again.

Not since boyhood had these guys experienced that feeling - and it was contagious! Older guys snuck trains in the back door so as to not stir the wife's wrath! Other guys had wives who came in with them and encouraged the train purchases. The same thing happens today, probably not on the same scale, the interest in trains has waned some since then.

What will history tell us about that era? Was it the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning of a newer era? I probably won't be around long enough to know, but 15 or 20 years from now, the younger guys on this forum will know.

I do know that in my area, this Christmas, the locals (within 30 miles) had the chance to visit a huge MTH layout, a huge municipal fire dept layout displaying stuff for over 50 years - also running mostly MTH trains,  another local municipal layout put up by 4 private individuals running older Lionel hardware, and two local train clubs featuring all gauges and brands of trains. One family even hauled a huge trailer around, with sides that opened to display 4 or 5 running trains with scenery to match - a very nice display.   That is a huge first for this area. And I witnessed huge crowds every time I visited. Power came from new Z4000's, older ZW's, newer Lionel bricks....no matter, they all got the trains to move!

Maybe next year, I will put up my next layout. Here is a shot of the last one I did in 2012.

I have rambled on enough. Have a great New Year, keep the rails polished! Greg

@cngw posted:

Speaking as an "old timer" but a recent re-entry back, from what I have been reading, it sounds like I should 1) treasure my two working, older TIU's with working handheld remotes, 2) forget about the wifi TIU and what it does (it does not do much if it is impossible/expensive to get) 3) guard my PS2 3V trains with my life 4) anticipate ultimate failure of my PS2 5V boards/trains 5) forget about buying new PS3 items unless I am desperate (seems to be limited selection, and high prices - though some places have diesels for the $375 range) 6) put stuff on the tracks, and enjoy the trains and running them while I still can. At 75 years old, how much longer to do I have?!?

That's my plan.

I have enough stuff that I'd never run out, even if I never tried to repair broken pieces.

GRJ......sounds like an old guy like me, better keep you on my good side!

Mines been "Pre-Ordered" Since 2021 From Muffins Trains. Good thing I'm not holding my Breath lol.

Any rumblings of an update on these?  If the early Q2 availability is holding true I imagine these would be in production and nearing shipping.

Last info I've heard is April of this year. I won't be surprised if that dragged into May or June.

@H1000 posted:

Last info I've heard is April of this year. I won't be surprised if that dragged into May or June.

Or August...

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Or August...

Not holding my breath on this one.

Does anyone have any updates on the WTIU? I heard they were shipping around April, but haven't heard any updates since December.  I'm really hoping to get it in before York.

Still April from what my dealer told me 2 weeks ago.

FWIW, Trainworld posted availability as Sunday 30th April 2023

Waiting...waiting...waiting....now I'm between the illustrious rock and hard spot and considering buying an old used TIU/Remote just in case.  I've got an old rev H1 (antique) that is hanging by a thread and goes bonkers from time to time and I've got a WTIU on pre-order which is sure to be loaded with software bugs and new hardware issues!!!    What to do, what to do.  Rest assured, the minute I dole out a premium for an old used TIU, the new one will ship!    I should have stocked-up on TIU's and remotes over the years like @gunrunnerjohn

Maybe this is a signal to just go back to conventional operation....wait...I think that is yet another challenge!

Kevin Mac

@Kevin MacDowell posted:

I should have stocked-up on TIU's and remotes over the years like @gunrunnerjohn

When People were selling the whole set for less than $200, I couldn't resist the urge to grab a couple. I'm looking pretty astute now.

As far as chip shortages, I’m not buying it. I worked for Applied Materials for 10 years as a customer engineer at Intel fabs in Ireland, Israel and Rio Rancho NM. To get back to production on processor cores, it would be less than a month or two, logic and microprocessors would be even shorter. There is a greed element in the equation, unfortunately. The middle men are milking the past for all it’s worth.

I dont believe it's a chip shortage issue, I do weekend work for a PCB FAB in the US and he's returned to normal manufacturing as of last October.

If I had to guess it's probably a software talent issue and possibly a greed element more in the sense of trying to make as many as possible all at once to keep the manufacturing costs down.

Just a guess though but I haven't bought the chip excuse since last fall.

@Kevin MacDowell posted:

Waiting...waiting...waiting....now I'm between the illustrious rock and hard spot and considering buying an old used TIU/Remote just in case.  I've got an old rev H1 (antique) that is hanging by a thread and goes bonkers from time to time and I've got a WTIU on pre-order which is sure to be loaded with software bugs and new hardware issues!!!    What to do, what to do.  Rest assured, the minute I dole out a premium for an old used TIU, the new one will ship!    I should have stocked-up on TIU's and remotes over the years like @gunrunnerjohn

Maybe this is a signal to just go back to conventional operation....wait...I think that is yet another challenge!

Kevin Mac

I know how you feel.  I just got back into the hobby about a year ago and ignorantly ordered the new WTIU not knowing how long it was already been back ordered. I decided that was a better idea than buying a used set or new, old stock.  In the 9 or so months since I made that decision, it seems like the prices on eBay have almost doubled, as I came to realization I needed a backup plan. Currently I just run really nice Proto 2 & 3 engines in conventional. 🙁

I am pretty sure Gunrunner John picked up one of my DCS remotes.  That almost came back to bite me when one of my WIUs started to act up.  Oh well.  Everything works now as a result of picking up a new WIU.

John

I have a WIU, but it's just for guests, I have no interest in running my trains from my phone.

Forever hopeful that the WTIU would be available at the end of this month (April) I just checked.  The delivery estimate is now August/September 2023.  Hope that my aging TIU's last that long, and beyond, since I have little hope that even this date will materialize.

PRKMD

I ended up biting the bullet and cancelled my preorder to go with a used TIU and remote.  I'm afraid my kid will loose all interest if I keep delaying finishing our layout while waiting for this.

@BroadBrush posted:

I ended up biting the bullet and cancelled my preorder to go with a used TIU and remote.  I'm afraid my kid will loose all interest if I keep delaying finishing out layout while waiting for this.

I was gonna cancel my pre order also. My new TIU, WIU and remote works great. I doubt we will even see it this year. Down the road when they are sold out I’ll probably sell it without gouging the price like everyone seems required to do

Since the DCS remote doesn't work with the WTIU, my interest in it disappears along with that lack of capability.  I have several spare TIU's, hopefully a lifetime supply.