Support

Getting help

Write to support@tractiontrains.com. Include the firmware version and MAC address — both are on the handset under Setup → 9: Info (press * then # from the throttle screen) and at the top of the setup page — and a sentence about what the layout is running. That is usually enough to answer in one reply rather than four.

The Guide covers every screen and setting, and its last section, When something is off, is where most questions are answered.

Before you write

Four things account for most of what we see:

1. The handset cannot find a server. The OCU-1 looks for WiThrottle servers and LCC hubs over mDNS and asks the subnet for Z21 stations. Some access points block multicast between wireless clients — if yours does, add the server's address and protocol on the setup page under Network → Throttle servers, or type it on the manual entry screen (# while it is searching). On DCC-EX, join the command station's own access point and the handset connects directly; a Z21 on its own router is at 192.168.0.111. On LCC, Loco not found for every address means there is no LCC command station on the hub — JMRI alone does not provide train nodes.
2. It connects, then stops the train after a few seconds. That is the server's emergency-stop timeout doing its job: the heartbeat did not get through. Look at the signal bars beside the battery. If the link is marginal, move or add an access point; the handset roams between them on its own.
3. Function labels are missing. Labels come from the roster entry on a WiThrottle server. If a locomotive was selected by address rather than from the roster there is no entry to read them from, and Z21 and LCC have no roster — give the functions names on the setup page (Keys → Function names) and those are used instead.
4. A turnout or route comes back “not found”. The prefix does not match your system. Set it per server, or under JMRI defaults, on the setup page.

The setup page and PINs

The setup page is at the address shown at the bottom right of the Setup menu, and at http://192.168.4.1 when the handset is running its own hotspot. The factory PIN is 1234. If you have changed it and lost it, Setup → 0: Reset All on the handset returns everything to factory defaults, PIN included. Guest mode can only be turned off from the setup page; that is the point of it.

Firmware

The current firmware and the release notes are on the Downloads page. Updating keeps your networks, servers and settings. If a handset ever fails to start after an update it can always be reflashed over USB-C — the bootloader is in ROM.

Warranty

Warranty terms for the OCU-1 will be published with the production units. Whatever they turn out to be, a handset that arrives faulty is replaced, and out-of-warranty repairs are always quoted before any work starts.

Repairs and parts

The OCU-1 is built from parts you can buy: a Seeed XIAO ESP32-C5 module, a SparkFun Qwiic 12-key keypad, an Adafruit I²C rotary encoder and a standard 128 × 64 I²C OLED. If something breaks, tell us which part and we will either send one or point you at the supplier. The keypad runs its own small firmware, also on the Downloads page.

Returns

Thirty days, for any reason, in the condition it arrived. Tell us it is coming and we will send a label.