Traintrackr – Live LED Maps
38 points
5 days ago
| 9 comments
| traintrackr.co.uk
| HN
jackfranklyn
20 minutes ago
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The data behind these comes from the Darwin feed (National Rail's real-time data) which is surprisingly good once you get past the initial authentication setup. Network Rail also publishes movement data via their OpenData platform if you want to go deeper - actual track circuits and signalling block occupancy.

What I find interesting is how these physical displays handle the inevitable "ghost trains" in the feed - cancelled services that still show as running, or trains that briefly appear in the wrong location. The software problem is messier than the hardware.

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KaiserPro
1 hour ago
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Train Trackr is great, and the weather one is also good too.

If you are less into trains (heresy) but still want to look at unusual maps https://raildar.co.uk/map/KGX is your place to go. its a live junction schematic of any train junction in the UK.

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lozf
3 minutes ago
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> unusual maps https://raildar.co.uk/map/KGX

Nice one, OpenRailTimes[0] is a similar style, but split in to smaller local sections by rail company and area.

I also like SignalBox[1] maps for their more traditional geographic layout, and for "less map -- more data", with accurate times that trains pass through stations and junctions, then RealTimeTrains[2] is hard to beat.

- [0]: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps

- [1]: https://www.map.signalbox.io/

- [2]: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/

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iamflimflam1
13 minutes ago
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The blog is a much more interesting read than the product site: https://blog.traintrackr.io
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wedog6
26 minutes ago
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London underground looks awesome, but I can't imagine it having even the vaguest utility in terms of knowing when to leave the house.
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tialaramex
10 minutes ago
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Because it's a metro service (some peak periods have 36 tph throughput), in most cases the answer will be that you should leave when you want to travel and then a train turns up and you board the train, so you don't need this information. But, the services may be disrupted or unavailable and that might mean you make different choices e.g. Victoria's main line was shut due to a One Under when I was there at Xmas, so I took a bus to a station that wasn't shut and continued the rest of my journey.
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arranf
14 minutes ago
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Wish it included the overground!
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sschueller
53 minutes ago
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Shameless self promotion. I make these: https://www.stationdisplay.com/
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tobinfekkes
2 hours ago
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I have the London board in my living room. It's one my favorite parts of the house. Can't recommend it enough.
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codefeenix
1 hour ago
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Wow this is presented exactly the same as the flight data led display. It is odd that the advertising method and the comments are similar to the previous.
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bongani123
59 minutes ago
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Ohky
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