Mobile Machinations RailTime app

RailTime is the first train schedule app worth downloading, and the last one you'll ever need! Sure, it shows you the schedule, but that's just the beginning. In RailTime, you can set an alarm on a trip with a lead time you specify, and it will let you know when you should be heading for the station! Not ready to leave the bar stool yet? Just ignore the alarm, and RailTime will tell you about the next train! Only want express trains? No problem!

Do you call your significant other with the time of the train you're on? RailTime will do it for you! Just put their email address into the notification tool, and RailTime will send them an email when it figures out what train you're on. Want your friends to know what train you're on? We can tweet your train, too!

Do you often need to make a connection to get to your destination? RailTime's train board allows you to choose any 2 stations, and it will dynamically calculate the best connections for you.

Now featuring Track and Status information! RailTime will now show you the track your train is leaving on, as well as the ontime status of your train.

Special Notice 1-Jul-2012

The latest update from MetroNorth for schedules starting July 2nd was enormous, and was only made available late last week. There was insufficient time to test, which caused some issues with schedule distribution. We sent out 2 different schedules with the same identifier - and it seems like a few users obtained the first erroneous schedule. To check if this happened to you, please set the date on RailTime to July 5th. If the red box at the bottom of the schedule says your schedule ends on 31-Aug, please delete RailTime and reinstall. If you have iCloud, the new installation should automatically find your subscriptions. If not, go to the Subscriptions page and press the Sync button. We apologize for the inconvenience!

Features of RailTime

Keeps all schedules on your device - no internet connection needed
All the schedule data is stored on your device, so no internet connection is necessary for looking up schedules or setting and receiving alarms. The schedules work just as well in the subway as on the surface. An internet connection is only necessary to purchase subscriptions or update line data, and it's also necessary to send out notifications when you're on a train.

Access schedules quickly
When you open RailTime, it automatically scrolls the train board to the next set of trains. A pie symbol on each train shows you at a glance how many trains will leave within the next hour, and how soon they'll depart. It even colors the pies red if the time is less than your current alarm interval!

See track and status
Each train will show track and status when the information becomes available from MetroNorth. If the train is late, it will show how many minutes late the train will be departing.

Quick access to the most important information
At a quick glance, see when the next train is, what track it's on, and whether or not it's on time. The bottom righthand corner always shows you the next train for your trip, so you can find out all you need to know with ZERO taps!

Builds 2 and 3 train trips automatically
Unlike many other train schedule apps, RailTime dynamically calculates any possible connections and shows you the best ones. If you select stations that have no direct trains between them, RailTime automatically selects the transfers button and finds you the best options! You can also select the transfers button yourself to see if there are more suitable trips for you. The train board will show you the number of connections, and if you tap the trip, RailTime will show you the transfer points and times.

Set alarms to notify you of departing trains
Press the alarm button, and all trains leaving after your alarm interval (10 through 60 minutes) will be alarmed. Only want express trains? Press the alarm button again, and only trains that are faster than half the range will be alarmed. If there's one train you know you need to make, open that train on the board, then press the alarm button.

If you need to change the alarm interval, press and hold the alarm button to update your selection.

Stores multiple lines and schedules at the same time
RailTime keeps track of your favorite stations, making it easy to switch between different trips you might take. New schedules are delivered to your device as soon as they're made available from the transit authority. If you need to find a train in the future, RailTime will automatically select the best schedule to fit your needs with the data available. RailTime will keep the current schedule on your device until it's no longer valid, ensuring you always have the highest quality results.

Notifies your friends and family when you're on a train
Press the notification editor button, and setup email and twitter tracking notifications. RailTime can send notifications when you're inbound, outbound, or both. You can choose weekdays, weekends, or any day! Notifications requires GPS (sorry iPod Touch owners) and an internet connection.

Find trips on other days
Press the calendar button to choose a date other than today. Press and hold the calendar button to choose a different day. RailTime automatically selects the best schedule for your use.

Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL
How do I pick my stations?
Press one of the red boxes at the top of the station board to change that station. To change directions, just press the green arrow in between the red station boxes.

PRIVACY
What is Mobile Machinations' privacy policy?
We collect data solely for the purpose of providing service. We do not provide any data to any third party, and will only send you emails if you specifically request to be on our mailing list.

ACCOUNTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
How do I get an account?
An account is automatically created for you when you purchase your first line subscription. The account is how your subscriptions are kept together in one place. If you need to transfer your account to a new device, you can request a secret key that will allow you to add the account to a new device. Please note that this device should be used by the same person - you cannot share subscriptions among multiple people.
How do subscriptions work?
When you subscribe to a line, the server connects your subscription purchase to your account. Each subscription lasts for one year. If you subscribe to a branch line, your subscription will automatically include the line it branches from (its base line).
Why do you charge a subscription fee?
We believe that when a user purchases a service, they have a right and the expectation that the service will continue. We plan to be in this for the long haul, and want to keep providing you service for years to come even if we're not bringing in new users at a similar rate to when we started. We intend to keep updating the application with new features, at no cost to our users. We believe this is the best model for ensuring quality applications and service for the future.
When will my subscription end if I subscribe to a line during a trial?
Your subscription will end 1 year from the end of the trial, not one year from today. There's no reason to wait!
What happens if I don't renew my subscription?
If you purchased a subscription that has expired without renewal, the old data will remain on your device - you just won't receive updates. However, if it's a trial subscription that has expired, the data is removed from your device. Also please note that while we won't delete data from your device after a paid subscription lapses, we won't be able to restore the old schedule data to a new device.
How do I add subscriptions to one device when I purchased them on a different device?
Press the Subscriptions button on the Lines page. A Sync button will be at the top of the page. Press it and your Subscriptions will be downloaded from our servers.
How do I get my subscriptions back on a reset device?
Press the Subscriptions button on the Lines page. A Link button will be at the top of the screen. Press it without entering a value in the field and we'll restore your subscriptions based on your device ID.

CONNECTIVITY
Do I need an internet connection to use RailTime?
You only need an Internet connection to make a purchase, update your data (this happens automatically in the background), or send tracking notifications.
Are your servers involved when I send a tracking notification?
Twitter direct messages and updates are sent directly from your device - our servers are completely uninvolved. For emails, however, our servers need to be involved because iOS applications can not send emails without user intervention. The only data stored on our servers is to keep track of limits on the number of emails that can be sent from a device over a period of time - we do not store the email addresses of recipients.

NOTIFICATIONS
How do I get notifications to work?
The station pair you have on the schedule board defines your active trip. If you have notifications turned on and you're on a train going in either direction (the arrow doesn't matter), notifications will be sent when RailTime determines you're actually on a train. This can take anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes depending on your local geography and how cell towers are setup in your area. If you have transfers off, RailTime will not consider transfers when trying to determine your trip. If you have had an issue where your notifications weren't sent, please let us know! In the info panel, press the email button and choose Tracking Issue. Then pick the log with the date/time prior to your trip (usually the last one if tracking failed).
What's the best way to notify someone quickly?
We find the best approach is to use a direct twitter message. The recipient just needs a twitter app on their device that notifies them of direct messages, and you're set!
Does RailTime really send notifications without me doing anything?
Yes it does! Thanks to new features in iOS 4, RailTime can monitor your location even when your iPhone is in your pocket or purse.

Get In Touch With Us...

If you would like to contact us directly, please email us and we will get back with you as quickly as possible. support@mobilemachinations.com

 

 

 

Available on the iPhone App Store