Traksy Website

[zwk500]

This one is best left to @takno I think!

 

[takno]

The routing information comes from Network Rail in the open feed. The problem is that each route is just an arbitrary bit in a long list. You need a key to decode what that route is represented by what bit, and these aren't currently published by Network Rail. They can usually be worked out, but it requires a fairly detailed piece of analysis for each signalling area, and even then there are still holes.

The bit mappings for Three Bridges have been released in the past so the Traksy map of the area is mostly correct. The routes are provided though in the form of a signal number and a letter to indicate which route is next. It's not always entirely obvious when there are sidings and such whether they are actually a signalled route or not, so mapping the right letter to the right next signal isn't 100% reliable.

The problem at Redhill (which I've noticed several times when I was down there but completely forgot to fix) will either be because I guessed the forward route wrong, or because it has been changed at some point, possibly when platform 0 went in.

The doing-something-stupid at crossovers is a weakness of my algorithm for drawing the routes on the maps. Basically it will always take the leftmost route from one signal to another, even when it's obvious to human eyes that it should keep going straight.

Long story short: if the routing looks stupid then it's almost certainly Traksy that's wrong. Nobody is going to randomly route the train into a siding, and the interlocking takes a dim view of trains being signalled into each other.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Open train times does weird things too. It shows trains that are routed from the Up Main approaching Taunton to platform 2 as heading towards platform 1.

 

[Belperpete]

In signalling design, the leftmost route is usually A, and then B, C etc working left to right. However, there can be exceptions, e.g. if an additional route is added later, renaming all the existing routes might be a mammoth job (e.g. every instance of where a route is mentioned in just the control tables could be a big job, let alone everywhere else it might be referenced). In such cases, the new route may be designated out of sequence.

There may also be more than one way of getting between two signals, where there are parallel crossovers. However, not all may actually be allowed as signalled routes. Where they are, the signalled routes are designated A1, A2, etc, with 1 being the leftmost and then working left to right.

And each route may have multiple classes (call-on, shunt, warner, permissive, non-permissive, proceed on site, etc) that may effectively be dealt with as separate routes by the interlocking.

Each signalling plan will include a list of the signalled routes. Trying to work out what is going on without such a list must be a challenge and a half!

It does raise the question of the value of releasing data if they don't make available a key to properly decipher it?

 

[takno]

In signalling design, the leftmost route is usually A, and then B, C etc working left to right. However, there can be exceptions, e.g. if an additional route is added later, renaming all the existing routes might be a mammoth job (e.g. every instance of where a route is mentioned in just the control tables could be a big job, let alone everywhere else it might be referenced). In such cases, the new route may be designated out of sequence.

There may also be more than one way of getting between two signals, where there are parallel crossovers. However, not all may actually be allowed as signalled routes. Where they are, the signalled routes are designated A1, A2, etc, with 1 being the leftmost and then working left to right.

And each route may have multiple classes (call-on, shunt, warner, permissive, non-permissive, proceed on site, etc) that may effectively be dealt with as separate routes by the interlocking.

Each signalling plan will include a list of the signalled routes. Trying to work out what is going on without such a list must be a challenge and a half!

It does raise the question of the value of releasing data if they don't make available a key to properly decipher it?

A good summary. To be fair the data isn't useless without a key, it's just more difficult to make use of.

The TD mappings were generally being released in response to FoI requests and being otherwise shared in a fairly uncontrolled way when the feed was set up, so I think it wasn't seen as essential to incorporate them into the open data set. Hopefully the situation might improve soon.

 

[Deepgreen]

The routing information comes from Network Rail in the open feed. The problem is that each route is just an arbitrary bit in a long list. You need a key to decode what that route is represented by what bit, and these aren't currently published by Network Rail. They can usually be worked out, but it requires a fairly detailed piece of analysis for each signalling area, and even then there are still holes.

The bit mappings for Three Bridges have been released in the past so the Traksy map of the area is mostly correct. The routes are provided though in the form of a signal number and a letter to indicate which route is next. It's not always entirely obvious when there are sidings and such whether they are actually a signalled route or not, so mapping the right letter to the right next signal isn't 100% reliable.

The problem at Redhill (which I've noticed several times when I was down there but completely forgot to fix) will either be because I guessed the forward route wrong, or because it has been changed at some point, possibly when platform 0 went in.

The doing-something-stupid at crossovers is a weakness of my algorithm for drawing the routes on the maps. Basically it will always take the leftmost route from one signal to another, even when it's obvious to human eyes that it should keep going straight.

Long story short: if the routing looks stupid then it's almost certainly Traksy that's wrong. Nobody is going to randomly route the train into a siding, and the interlocking takes a dim view of trains being signalled into each other.

Many thanks for the detailed response. Obviously I knew that the routes had not been set incorrectly/impossibly (although the class 700 swinging across towards us just before we also swung over our crossover was 'entertaining'!), but was just interested to know the background. Keep up the good work!

 

[coral reef]

On Android the train summary widgets can be removed by swiping them left or right, which might help. I'd love to get the X on there, but it really cuts down the space for information - I suspect I'd be better off just making it more obvious to users what other options are available to close the widget. I may also put in some changes to more actively get rid of "stale" widgets if they've been lying around for more than a couple of hours. Definitely open to feedback on those widgets though - it's useful to have them persist between maps and over page refreshes, but I find myself constantly having to close ones which I don't really need.

Which browser are you seeing the dly column issue in? I changed it recently to stop it being obscured in Firefox and on mobile, but I suspect it might have made it worse on Chrome.

Happy to look at the Kent maps. South-Eastern is probably the area of the country I know least well. The maps there have mostly ended up being drawn London-first, with other lines crammed in a bit wherever they seemed to fit. Happy to rejig the maps, possibly splitting into 3 maps with some duplication, but it's a painful process so I'd like to be sure I'm moving in a useful direction when I do it!

Sorry, rude of me to not reply! Yes the swiping method is fine for removing the widgets, thank you.

The obscured delay column is indeed on chrome in android, or the search app which I believe is also chrome under the hood.

For the Kent maps;

• for the Victoria to Charing and Sole St
  • I recommend bolting on Ashford Intl station to the end after Charing - up to maybe Sevington loops on the SEML and on the Canterbury West line up to the down line shunt signal after the Ashford TMD connections
  • bolt on whole Sole St to Ramsgate / Dover section from the North Kent page
• truncate the North Kent map to Gillingham TMD

 

[Trackman]

Traksy gets a mention in a Northern promo advert on FB.

http://fb.watch/JcphSIzqUx/

Its a shame they didnt give more details but the dispatcher did show the screen on his mobile and said they use Traksy.

I assume Traksy is only web-based and not available on Apple or Android.

 

[takno]

Traksy gets a mention in a Northern promo advert on FB.

http://fb.watch/JcphSIzqUx/

Its a shame they didnt give more details but the dispatcher did show the screen on his mobile and said they use Traksy.

I assume Traksy is only web-based and not available on Apple or Android.

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing it.

Traksy is web-based so it isn't in either of the app stores, but if you visit the site in Chrome/Safari it can be installed to the phone's home screen so that it acts just like an app. If you use the new (subscription-only) version you can also get alerts on the phone whenever a particular train reports an arrival or departure.

 

[Trackman]

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing it.

Traksy is web-based so it isn't in either of the app stores, but if you visit the site in Chrome/Safari it can be installed to the phone's home screen so that it acts just like an app. If you use the new (subscription-only) version you can also get alerts on the phone whenever a particular train reports an arrival or departure.

No worries, I've no qualms about there not being an app, It works fine on my phone - I was just double-checking as the dispatcher called it an app.

 

[takno]

No worries, I've no qualms about there not being an app, It works fine on my phone - I was just double-checking as the dispatcher called it an app.

It's possible Northern have just put it on their default staff phone setup, in which case the dispatcher wouldn't know. I think the only thing they aren't willing to do is pay me tbh.

 

[Trackman]

It's possible Northern have just put it on their default staff phone setup, in which case the dispatcher wouldn't know. I think the only thing they aren't willing to do is pay me tbh.

You could advertise it 'As used by Northern trains' and a link to the video or stills.

 

[chrisjo]

'As used by Northern trains'

Would that be a good thing?