We have made updates to both the User Interface and API to enhance your experience and provide deeper insights. Here is a summary of new features:
User Interface Updates:
- Conditional Scheduled Reports: Add conditions to your scheduled reports and receive updated versions throughout the day—keeping the most recent and relevant information at your fingertips.
- Train Tags on Map: Easily visualize and track your tagged trains directly on the map for instant location insights.
API Updates:
- Performance Boost: Experience 4x lower latency on the "full_sightings" route for faster, more efficient data retrieval.
- Enhanced Dataset: New capacity, equipment attributes, and dimension estimates provided for deeper insights into detections.
- Field Update: We have replaced "warnings" with a new "issues" field—laying the groundwork for future insights.
These updates are designed to streamline your workflow and give you the insights you need, faster and more efficiently than ever.
Check out the details and tips further below. For feedback or a feature review please reach out to support+UI@RailState.com or Schedule an Overview.
RailState Product Team
Tip: For past release notes and answers to some frequently asked questions visit our searchable knowledge base: RailState Knowledge Base
For a refresher on creating a Watchlist, review here: Creating a Watchlist
Scheduled Reports:
Wondering how the day is progressing? You can now set a Watchlist Scheduled Report to be delivered to your email multiple times a day.
Under Report, simply select 'every X hours' then specify a value. Once saved you will get the first report at the 'Start time', then every few hours, on a rolling basis, as specified.
Want to be alerted right away? Don't forget about our Real-time Alerts! Learn more about of 'Real-Time Alerts' here.
Tip: As with any of the Scheduled Watchlists, simply return to your Watchlist settings to deactivate, change, or update the schedule.
Train Tags on Map:
Easily track your specific trains with the new 'Tags' toggle on the map. Toggle it on to replace Train Count arrows with Train Tags to bring your tagged trains to the forefront visually. Instantly see their last sighting location or view all sightings on their journey.
Learn more about 'Train Tags' here.
API Updates
Earlier this year we incorporated a variety of capacity and equipment attribute values within the UI. Today we are able to extend those values to users of the API.
The following is a brief explanation of new fields available:
- Instantaneous Speed [mph]: The approximate speed, in miles per hour, that the train was travelling at time of detection at the RailState sensor site.
- Length [Feet]: The outside length of the equipment, in feet, coupler to coupler.
- Liquid Capacity [Gallons]: The maximum interior capacity of the equipment, presented in gallons.
- Cubic Capacity [Cubic Feet]: The maximum interior capacity of the equipment, presented in cubic feet.
- Load Limit [Tons]: The maximum permissible weight that can be loaded into the equipment, presented in short tons.
- Tare Weight [Tons]: The equipment weight when empty, presented in short tons.
- Gross Weight [Tons]: The maximum permissible weight on rail of the equipment and the load, as presented in short tons.
- EPA Emissions Tier Level: The EPA emissions Tier level assigned to the locomotive equipment.
- Equipment Type Code: The 4-character alpha numeric code that can be deciphered to outline attributes of the equipment.
- Equipment Owner: The railroad or private company owning the equipment, as presented as a reporting mark.
- Equipment Lessee: The company leasing the equipment, as presented as a reporting mark.
IMPORTANT CONTEXT NOTES: These data elements are presented where/when available, and are dependent on a number of factors, including RailState identifying the equipment IDs, and those equipment IDs being present in reference files.
On the Car level, we present the values for each piece of equipment where/when available. On the Trains level, we present the values as estimated sums based on available data and deployed algorithmic logic.
For further details on the estimates, see SIMPLIFIED EXAMPLE within the prior release notes.
For detailed API routes, models, and parameters, while logged in follow this link: Open API documentation.
API USERS PLEASE NOTE: We have made an important change: The string 'warnings' has been deprecated. Please start using the new field added called 'issues' for warnings about irregularities of the train sighing and potential data issues.