The guy that administrates
dcmetrohero.com has created a
model board of WMATA that shows the position of trains in real time.
From
Real-time, (mostly) to-scale circuit map of the Metrorail system:
Goal: create a to-scale representation of the entire Metrorail system, sort of like
what WMATA ROCC has at their disposal, but for everyone and leveraging all the information MetroHero already collects about trains and train movement.
After a couple weeks worth of work, I think I got close!:
dcmetrohero.com/circuit-map
(if prompted to update the app at the bottom of the page, please tap 'Yes!' to make sure you're viewing the correct version of the map--or refresh the page twice if you haven't used MetroHero in a while and don't get a prompt)
Notes:
- Tap on a train to get its calculated estimated speed (if available), what track circuit it's currently on, etc.
- Each black notch in a line indicates where a virtual track circuit begins or ends. Some virtual track circuits map to the same physical circuit, e.g. at track switches. In those cases, I've scaled the virtual circuits down in length to maintain accurate scale with the physical circuits they partially represent.
- Text like "A14-1" below an individual circuit indicates it's at a station platform (e.g. A14, i.e. Rockville, track 1). Station platforms with more than one circuit have been combined for simplicity.
- I don't have track circuit lengths for most non-revenue track, which is why most crossovers and interlockings and whatnot look a little weird. If I were to get these, I could fold them into this system to make those areas more accurate.
- At major switch points, I've chosen to stretch some circuits and make them go in a diagonal direction so that lines don't cross each other and to make everything easier to read. That means we're not technically "to-scale" in those areas.
Also, there are a few specific areas where this map is seemingly incorrect at the moment which I am still working to resolve:
- I'm pretty sure I'm missing two mainline circuits--one circuit on track 1, and another on track 2--somewhere between B05 (Brookland-CUA) and B06 (Fort Totten). If anyone has any insight as to what might be going on here, please let me know as I'm at a loss.
- The two mainline switch circuits outside E10-2 (Greenbelt, track 2) for the test track are missing. Perhaps the circuit data I obtained is out of date, which is why it doesn't include them? I've stretched the neighboring circuits in the area to fill the gap to maintain scale the best I can.
- Trains may briefly appear/disappear between A02 (Farragut North) and A03 (Dupont Circle)--on both tracks--due to what appears to be some missing mainline circuits in WMATA's APIs (as opposed to my circuit data set, which has them) between switch pairs to/from the pocket track, i.e. A02-A1-47, A02-A1-51, A02-A2-47, and A02-A2-51. This is my best guess anyway.
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John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.
