EC onboard map

[DaveNewcastle]

I agree that the map and particularly the route overlay are very smart.

I'm watching it now on the 19:30 KGX-NCL.
The train is running close to linespeed but the display shows half that speed (e.g. travelling at around 120mph between York and Northallerton but the display shows speeds of around 62mph). I'm on set BN21 if that helps. Its been like that throughout the journey.

Is that an error somewhere?

 

[OxtedL]

So the default set (doesn't look like it's been to Leeds today hock has just got stuck south of Darlington, although its moving again. Looks like it's stuck behind a XC, although the delay on that XC is not immediately forthcoming...

As to the list of stations flagged by route, I don't have one of those (I do have some kind of rudimentary listed-by-station-operator thing though). However, I've been working on a widget thingy to do manually sort stations quickly, originally for the benefit of Guess the Station - which only seems sad when it isn't posted in the Quiz Forum . As the GTS census demonstrated it is possible to summon an army quickly for these things, so if you would like a bit of legwork like that feel free to PM me.

 

[dbrb2]

This is a tricky one to fix - but I know the cause.

If you are on a train, then the onboard device reports your position in m/s

If you are not, then the data is returned in knots - and the conversions are obviously different to mph

I think I have put in a programmatic fix - though it will break if the onboard system ever switches back to knots!

Try it now

Ben

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Ah, I understand, Thanks

Try it now

Oooops, its too late. The train has now terminated at Newcastle.
I'm not travelling on EC tomorrow, but will do on Saturday.

 

[OxtedL]

They don't hang around in Newcastle, do they?! Already on its way to Heaton by the looks of things. (It just formed the 20:00 KGX to NCL 22:55, although I was going to avoid commentary today )

 

[DaveNewcastle]

They don't hang around in Newcastle, do they?!

No!
The last thing we need cluttering up the platforms is trains!

Seriously, its just occurred to me that my next journey on EC is the day after tomorrow, when the Scottish services will go via Hexham, Carlisle and Carstairs. These are not on the overlay (and of course we wouldn't expect them to be).
But if you can be bothered, dbrb and OxtedL, it would be nice to see those routes highlighted on the overlay during these weekend diversions!
(To be fair, its a lot of hassle just to amuse a very few of us who should really be admiring the excellent views out of the windows!)

 

[OxtedL]

Actually stopping at Carstairs, or curving round it?

 

[jon0844]

I used this a while ago on a EC service and have to say it was much better than the one that EC provide. It was rather interesting knowing exactly where we were rather than relying on my educated guess work so thanks

I don't want to rain on the parade, as this looks cool (and I will definitely try it out next time I'm on EC!) but you can get your location with a high degree of accuracy on any smartphone with Google Maps in a range of views.

Now Google have portable cameras for doing indoor 'streetview' maps, I wonder if they'd ever be able to set up a 360 camera on a roof of a train to map out railway lines? Imagine how cool (geeky) that would be!

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't want to rain on the parade, as this looks cool (and I will definitely try it out next time I'm on EC!) but you can get your location with a high degree of accuracy on any smartphone with Google Maps in a range of views.

Well of course you can use Google Maps but that requires people to have a smartphone something which not everyone does

 

[jon0844]

Okay, who doesn't. I demand to see them! Come on, own up!

Alright, I'll give you that one. More and more people are getting a smartphone though, although many 'featurephones' also have mapping capabilities. I had Google Maps as a Java app on a Sony Ericsson phone many years before smartphones hit the mainstream.

Many dumb phones will have maps, and even Wi-Fi, to let you get email and other basics.

 

[Eagle]

I don't want to rain on the parade, as this looks cool (and I will definitely try it out next time I'm on EC!) but you can get your location with a high degree of accuracy on any smartphone with Google Maps in a range of views.

I've tried using the GPS on my Android on a Pendolino at >110mph before. The phone couldn't download the map tile files fast enough so all I got was a dot moving very fast through a field of grey squares.

 

[jon0844]

Google doesn't use image tiles anymore; it's all vectorised - so your phone can now cache the data. Maps (on Android at least) now lets you download a 10 square mile area of any location you choose now, so it can quite happily keep up at very high speeds.

Better mobile data (faster and better coverage) has obviously helped too.

I can remember the arrow going through lots of ugly grey blocks. For a while I kept wondering why it was showing me as being in Milton Keynes.

 

[Eagle]

Better mobile data (faster and better coverage) has obviously helped too.

It's more to do with the signal inside a Pendo being pretty terrible (but not as bad as a Voyager, where you're lucky to get 30 seconds of 2G every half an hour).

 

[jon0844]

Can you receive a GPS signal or does the window coating affect that too?

 

[AlterEgo]

I can remember the arrow going through lots of ugly grey blocks. For a while I kept wondering why it was showing me as being in Milton Keynes.

Boom boom!

I'm travelling on FGW in a couple of weeks with my laptop. Am I right in thinking Icomera are the WiFi supplier for them - and can I use this map overlay?

 

[whhistle]

Good work.

 

[Mainliner]

I don't want to rain on the parade, as this looks cool (and I will definitely try it out next time I'm on EC!) but you can get your location with a high degree of accuracy on any smartphone with Google Maps in a range of views.

Yes, but it's interesting to be able to use Ben's "app" when not on a train, and as has been said earlier, it would be a lot more interesting if the data from other trains could be obtained and added!

 

[jon0844]

Someone did this with tube trains didn't they? Just working out positions from the online feed of train departure information.

If you extracted data from *****, including all the passing points, you'd be able to come up with something fairly accurate. Not to the meter, obviously, and useless if trains stop -but still pretty decent.

 

[Mainliner]

Someone did this with tube trains didn't they? Just working out positions from the online feed of train departure information.

If you extracted data from *****, including all the passing points, you'd be able to come up with something fairly accurate. Not to the meter, obviously, and useless if trains stop -but still pretty decent.

Like this, which I think was mentioned earlier?

http://traintimes.org.uk/map/?kgx

 

[marks87]

Our set will be getting a nosebleed: it seems to be Edinburgh-bound!

It's a pity it's not London-bound, because I'll be around Kings Cross within the next couple of hours so could have IDed it

 

[ainsworth74]

It's a pity it's not London-bound, because I'll be around Kings Cross within the next couple of hours so could have IDed it

We already have the ID it's DVT 82218 courtesy of DaveNewcastle a few days ago

 

[OxtedL]

Yes, it worked the 1100 KGX to Edinburgh arriving at 1525. Having worked the 0600 southbound from Berwick-upon-Tweed this morning.

I think we have already got a positive ID on the train, but in case you're interested it looks like it will be working the 1630 from Edinburgh to Kings Cross arr 2055.

 

[marks87]

We already have the ID it's DVT 82218 courtesy of DaveNewcastle a few days ago

D'oh...

 

[OxtedL]

Something's up on the ECML tonight, I believe it's a broken-down train? (south of Stevenage?)

So, held at Stevenage for a bit, just starting to move again now... fun.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I thought we might go "off-piste" via Hertford North for a minute, but it now seems to be stuck at Knebworth on the main line.

 

[causton]

Speeding up going through Oakleigh Park a little... up to 50mph!

 

[OxtedL]

Anyone want to pass comment on the current location of the set? I was under the impression that Bounds Green was further up...?

 

[ainsworth74]

Anyone want to pass comment on the current location of the set? I was under the impression that Bounds Green was further up...?

Looks about right to me, Bounds Green is the point at which I normally start getting ready for arrival. Also looking at the satellite view also shows that it's fine.

 

[OxtedL]

OK, maybe I'm having a moment, but I though Bounds Green was up by the junction with the Hertford Loop, and that the set is actually opposite Hornsey Depot at the moment?

 

[ainsworth74]

OK, maybe I'm having a moment, but I though Bounds Green was up by the junction with the Hertford Loop, and that the set is actually opposite Hornsey Depot at the moment?

Ahh yes it would appear that you are indeed correct and that it is indeed parked up near Hornsey Depot at the moment, so it is in fact who is having a moment and not yourself

Odd place for it to stable overnight...