Model Railroading > Mini Product review … ProtoThrottle

Summer Santa brought me a new toy yesterday, the Proto Throttle .

I use a Digitrax LNWI modem for my WiFi throttles, and the Proto receiver,
required to interface with the WiFi modem/command station, was
easy to set up.  Per the manual,  I insertied the provided SIM card into a computer
and changing a couple settings so it could talk to the Digitrax modem.  
I spent 35 years selling cast iron and am not tech savvy but I can read instructions,  
so if I can do it, anyone can.  

I inserted two AA batteries and powered up the throttle, assigned a non-sound
lokie address, and moved it across the layout notching it forward and backwards.

Then I took a Tsunami2 equipped Atlas diesel (see photo) and that's where this shines.
It was really fun running a sound equipped engine,  "pulling" on the horn, ramping up
engine sounds as the trains pulls forward, or shoves backwards.  Same for a LokSound
equipped Rapido RS11 diesel.  There is a lot of fine tuning that can and will be done as i
get more familiar with the product, but I really enjoyed it right out of the box.

If there is a drawback It is that to remove the batteries, one must
remove 4 screws and remove the back cover for access.  The unit goes to sleep after
5 minutes on its own, and that time is adjustable, but from my 20 years with wireless
EasyDCC I learned to remove batteries when not in use, else the batteries will corrode
the contacts in the battery holder.    A pop out door for battery removal would be an improvement.

All iin all, a really cool product, albeit rather pricey compared to other wireless throttles (I paid about
500 clams for the throttle, receiver, and throttle holder) but then none of the others are quite like
the ProtoThrottle.

Shane Murphy
Tyler, Tex.

Edit, :  600 clams expended  -  500 for the throttle and 100 for the receiver



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/21 17:25 by WrongWayMurphy.

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Thanks for the review.  I am thinking about getting one of these eventually but the layout still has a ways to go first.  In the mean time I purchased the combo of two UTW-50 and UTW-100 wifi throttles from TCS along with the Digitrax LNWI wifi adaptor for my Digitrax Chief system.  UWT-50 throttles are expected in September sometime.

Cheers, Jim

Ya nice review. I think it is a neat product and wouldn't mind trying one out. But for 500 bucks, it just isn't going to happen. If I was going to be the only operator on my layout I might consider it, but I can get 3 radio throttles for less than one of these. On top of that, these days it seems everything has a rechargeable battery and a USB cable as a charging station. Batteries not included anymore is in the realm of kiddie toys, not 500 dollar electronics. Not that I don't like it, but by the time I get everything else I need, they will be out of business or 1000 bucks due to some reason out of China. I could look on the bright side, they might sell so many that the price will drop.

Is the unit capable of using rechargeable batteries and charging them while installed in the unit?

I would love to have one of these Throttles, but until their price becomes competitive with other throttles like NCE, MRC, etc., then I can't bite the bullet. Hopefully that price tag will come down someday like it finally did for big screen TVs & home computers.

According to a recent post here on Trainorders:

Click here: Affected by the Chip Shortage Too? (trainorders.com)   

Member NDHolmes is part owner of ProtoThrottle as a small business. Perhaps the owners are happy with the demand at the given price?

Victor



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/21 20:01 by wabash2800.

These are custom built small batch throttles and were desgned for specific people in mind. They are not TV sets or computers. Poor analogy.  Bruce 

Amtrak784 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would love to have one of these Throttles, but
> until their price becomes competitive with other
> throttles like NCE, MRC, etc., then I can't bite
> the bullet. Hopefully that price tag will come
> down someday like it finally did for big screen
> TVs & home computers.