GoTrain

GoTrain is a server application for receiving, processing and distributing real-time data about train services in the Netherlands.

GoTrain is designed to continuously receive data streams offered as open data by the Dutch Railways (NS). The data is processed and saved in-memory in order to offer a very fast REST API, which can be used by numerous clients to show live information about train departures, arrivals etc.

GoTrain is currently able to process the following data streams:

• Arrivals (arriving service at a station)
• Departures (departing service from a station)
• Services (data about a complete trip for a single train)

And it offers the received data through a number of REST APIs, which allow you to:

• Request a summary of all departing trains for a single station
• Detailed information for a departing train
• All upcoming arrivals for a single station
• Detailed information about a single train journey

You can also use GoTrain to store all services to a Redis queue for further processing (archive function).

It is easy to extend GoTrain's functionality or to build your own applications using the REST API. For example: create your live departures board, or analyze which trains are currently delayed or cancelled on the Dutch rail network.

REST API

GoTrain includes a convenient REST API.

An example request: Request all departures from Utrecht Centraal: /v2/departures/station/UT

Response (shortened):

{
    "departures": [
        {
            "cancelled": false,
            "company": "NS",
            "delay": 0,
            "departure_time": "2019-07-14T00:49:00+02:00",
            "destination_actual": "'t Harde",
            "destination_actual_codes": [
                "HDE"
            ],
            "destination_planned": "'t Harde",
            "name": null,
            "platform_actual": "12",
            "platform_changed": false,
            "platform_planned": "12",
            "remarks": [],
            "service_date": "2019-07-13",
            "service_id": "591",
            "service_number": "591",
            "station": "UT",
            "status": 2,
            "timestamp": "2019-07-13T22:49:00Z",
            "tips": [
                "Stopt ook in Harderwijk"
            ],
            "type": "Intercity",
            "type_code": "IC",
            "via": "Amersfoort",
            "wings": []
        }
   ],
    "status": "UP"
}

The following endpoints are available:

• / - API version
• /v2/status - System status
• /v2/arrivals/stats - Arrival statistics
• /v2/arrivals/station/{station} - Arrivals for {station} (e.g. UT)
• /v2/arrivals/arrival/{id}/{station}/{date} - Specific arrival details
• /v2/departures/stats - Departures statistics
• /v2/departures/station/{station} - Departures for {station} (e.g. UT)
• /v2/departures/departure/{id}/{station}/{date} - Specific departure details
• /v2/services/stats - Services statistics
• /v2/services/service/{service_number}/{date} - Specific service details

The full API documentation, including parameters and response formats, is included in the GoTrain OpenAPI specification. Or check out the nicely formatted GoTrain API on Apiary.

Archiver

The archive function allows you to store all data to an archive for further processing or analysis at a later time. When running gotrain archiver, GoTrain simply pushes all received services to a Redis queue (in JSON format).

Prometheus

A Prometheus integration is included to expose metrics about recieved messages and API requests. This integration can be enabled optionally on a separate port.

Installation

Binary packages will be provided in a future update. For now, the best way to install GoTrain is by downloading the source code and manually compile the application.

1. Download source code
2. Install dependencies: go get
3. Compile: go build

Now, configure the application:

4. Go the the config/ directory
5. Copy example.yaml to config.yaml
6. Modify the configuration parameters. Change at least the 'server' line (which should point to the NDOV ZeroMQ server - see below), and the API port (unless you want to run on port 8080).

Configuration is also possible with environment variables. Example:

API_ADDRESS=:8080
SOURCE_SERVER=tcp://pubsub.besteffort.ndovloket.nl:7664
SOURCE_ENVELOPES_ARRIVALS=/RIG/InfoPlusDASInterface4
SOURCE_ENVELOPES_DEPARTURES=/RIG/InfoPlusDVSInterface4
SOURCE_ENVELOPES_SERVICES=/RIG/InfoPlusRITInterface2

Usage

7. Start your server by running ./gotrain server.
8. GoTrain keeps all information in memory, so you should aim to keep the server running for a long time. Process monitors like supervisord may help with that.
9. The REST API should be available on the address you have specified in your configuration file.

The CLI interface of GoTrain also allows you to:

• Request the current status of your server: ./gotrain status -u http://localhost:8080/ Initially, your server will have the status UNKNOWN and then RECOVERING, as it slowly starts to build up a complete dataset. Arrivals and departures should be UP after approximately 80 minutes.
• Inspect a single XML message, for example: ./gotrain inspect departure parsers/testdata/departure.xml
• Run ./gotrain help to show all commands.

Docker

It is also possible to deploy GoTrain with Docker.

docker build -t gotrain

Running the container:

docker run gotrain

(To use environment variables with docker, add them with -e KEY=VALUE)

You can also use the official GoTrain Docker image which is updated with the latest release.

Data feed

You need access to a data feed from NS called InfoPlus. This data feed is distributed freely by the NDOVloket.

Tip: you can find a public best-effort data feed from the NDOV on this page: NDOVloket realtime. You need the address listed for 'NS InfoPlus', likely in the format tcp://pubsub.besteffort.ndovloket.nl:... Consider signing up for free if you are planning to use this application for production purposes. The data feed is the same, but it's covered by a SLA, and it helps NDOVloket to keep track of their users.

Development roadmap

The main objectives for GoTrain have now been developed, but there is a roadmap for further development. The main planned improvements are:

• Increase test coverage - the API is currently not tested
• Packaging - make it easier to install gotrain on a server by just downloading and installing the binaries

Status

GoTrain is currently being used in production by Rijden de Treinen as a source for realtime departure times, arrivals and for trip details, both on the website and in the mobile app. Please let it known when you use GoTrain for a cool project, a big application or for some other purpose!

License

Copyright (c) 2019-2022 Geert Wirken, Rijden de Treinen

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.