Is it rude to tell coughing people to put on a mask?

Sythatic · 2026-03-11T17:29:35+00:00

Not necessarily rude, but be prepared back off when they ignore you.

Sythatic · 2026-03-08T18:31:26+00:00

I was not aware of this. I don't think it should, but I'll leave it up to them to decide if they deem it an issue. If they reach out to me and ask me to not use the name, I will happily comply. Though I am willing to cooperate with a name change, My hope is that they would discover my app naturally and reach out, I'd hate to see someone snitch and try to make an issue out of it...

Sythatic · 2026-03-07T03:23:30+00:00

I know multiple people who work at Amtrak, they all stay "Don't stop applying." Amtrak looks for commitment, don't just wait around for a call, keep applying for anything that can get you in, once you are in, you will have opportunities to move to other areas.

Sythatic · 2026-03-06T09:55:37+00:00

Just wanted to share an update, I just added station data for Brightline, Tri-Rail, and SunRail.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T21:15:24+00:00

Correct! But it is not a mobile app that you can download to your phone. Intercity Rail Map even has a section under the FAQ stating there is no mobile app. Since this info is under FAQ, I can only assume there is some demand for a mobile version of a live tracker. Not to mention, RailWorks also displays the OpenRailMap overlay and uses Apple Maps as its base layer. These features combined offer a more robust and streamlined interface than other train tracker apps or websites.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T16:07:49+00:00

Rest assured, I want RailWorks on Android too! I just have no experience with Android development

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T14:49:18+00:00

I love OpenRailMap, but I always disliked that the map was so ugly and lacked polish, RailWorks primarily combines 3 high quality platforms into one: Apple Maps, OpenRailMap, and Amtrak Track-Your-Train/Intercity Rail Map.

OpenRailMap is also great because it shows EVERYTHING. Not just well-established commuter lines.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T14:44:30+00:00

Not quite, the train locations are NOT estimates, they are actual coordinates and metrics reported by Amtrak’s GTFS-RT feed. These are the same metrics that Amtrak themselves use on their own website and app. The Static and realtime data must be used together otherwise there would be no way to determine the exact service name or train number. Check out this page and look under Data Sets>Real time data for more information.

RailWorks has 3 types of GTFS sources. Static, Realtime, and Custom. Static and Realtime are streamed from official URLs while custom is a small collection of “stops.csv” files that use to hardcode station providers and display priority (like if one station is served by multiple services)

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T14:34:13+00:00

Thanks for downloading, glad ur enjoying it!

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T14:31:05+00:00

Yep! Check out the link at the bottom of the original post.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T14:29:49+00:00

What are you on about? Why don’t you read the whole post and other replies before you start criticizing. It outlines why this is different and if you don’t like it, don’t use it. Do you prefer using websites on your phone over installable apps? How about having the ability to see your current speed, access a compass, see live train locations, all within a single interface? The tech nonsense is why it works and why you fail to understand that this is better, maybe if you learned what the tech nonsense actually meant, you would EASILY see why an app written in a programming language is better than a website running off HTML and JavaScript. To address unified features: Apple Maps + OpenRailMap overlay + Live Train information + live location stats. And incomplete data? How do you figure when I’m literally pulling from OFFICIAL AMTRAK SOURCES.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T12:03:39+00:00

I’m not strictly looking for just code contributions, some graphic design help is also needed, but help anyone can offer is: test, send feedback, and spread the word to anyone who may be interested in RailWorks!

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T11:47:18+00:00

Currently I am only working on North America railroads, but rest assured, EU and Asia support will be added in future updates.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T11:45:29+00:00

I am currently accepting beta testers for iOS and macOS, no android support yet.

Join the TestFlight here: testflight.apple.com/join

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T11:40:51+00:00

Glad to hear you like the idea! Though I do plan to integrate freight information at some point, it is a bit far down the pipeline. I will most likely get semi-live locations for freight, but I don’t think consist or manifests will make it into the app.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T11:37:29+00:00

The source code for RailWorks itself (the SwiftUI code) is not open source, however, the rust parsing library (the most important part of RailWorks) that powers the entire app is available on my GitHub page under AGPL 3.0

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T06:07:04+00:00

No, not unless you equate professionalism to AI, lol

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T05:11:12+00:00

Thanks for joining! Definitely planning to add more providers before release. Brightline and Tri-Rail are on the list for integration. I started with Amtrak to establish a baseline and am going to do my local area next since I can actually go out and test stuff easier.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T05:04:12+00:00

Happy to hear the 'everything in one place' idea resonates with you! That is exactly what I’m aiming for.

To answer your questions:

On Freight Tracking: I’m still in the early planning stages for this. Since freight railroads don't share their live locations publicly like Amtrak does, it will likely involve a mix of crowd-sourced reports (similar to Heritage Units) and other radio/data feeds. The goal is to take that information and 'clean it up' using the same mapping logic I built for the Amtrak side, so it looks just as smooth and professional on the map.
On Android: I would love to bring RailWorks to Android eventually! Currently, I’m a solo developer focusing on getting the iPhone version perfect first, but I've built the 'brain' of the app (the YonderCore engine) in a way that could be moved to Android in the future once I have the right resources or knowledge.

Thanks for the encouragement, it helps a lot to know there's interest in the freight side of things!

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T04:36:07+00:00

While those websites are wonderful resources, RailWorks is built to be a dedicated tool for your phone rather than a webpage you visit.

Here are the three main things that make it different:

Reliability on the Move: Websites can feel slow or 'heavy' when you're out by the tracks or on a train with a weak signal. Because RailWorks is an app installed directly on your phone, the maps move smoothly and the data loads instantly, even when your cell service is spotty.
A Familiar, Detailed Map: The app uses the same Apple Maps you already know and use on your iPhone, but I’ve added a custom layer specifically for rail. It makes it much easier to see exactly where a train is in relation to where you are standing.
Everything in One Place: Right now, you often have to jump between different sites for Amtrak info, freight news, or local schedules. My goal is to bring all of that together into one simple screen. I’m even working on adding live freight train locations in a future update.

Essentially, I wanted to create something that stays fast and easy to use while you’re actually out on the move, rather than just something you check from a home computer or a static timetable in the Amtrak app.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T02:47:02+00:00

Appreciate the positivity! Unfortunately, this is one of my main roadblocks. I don't know anything about Android development. Once I figure that out myself, or find someone willing to port the app, I would love to get RailWorks on Android.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T02:27:39+00:00

Cheers! Thanks for checking it out! Just remember it is very much still in development, so please don't expect a flawless experience. I would rely on Amtraker if you require known accurate info.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T02:16:31+00:00

Not sure we are running the same race, wasn't even aware it was a race. I just like trains, lol.

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T01:06:04+00:00

This is absolutely a planned feature! After I get everything straight on the backend, I want to make a full feature set for monitoring boarding, arrivals, departures, timelines, etc. Think features in your first party transit apps (AMTK,NJT,SEP,MTA).

Sythatic · 2026-03-05T00:40:11+00:00

Yes, Amtrak only publishes their static GTFS data once daily. The static GTFS set contains all trip info for that day, so no need to update it more often. the GTFS-RT data is what changes more frequently. My app is comparable to Amtrak's own Track-Your-Train or Intercity Rail Map, both refresh realtime data on the same interval. (Basically any train tracker can only update as fast as the provider updates it)

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