Description
- Enjoy the CRL: Includes all the new CRL stations (it even includes the under construction Ngākōroa station near Pukekohe)
- Live Tracking: See the positions of trains out on the real network
- 154 Full Colour LEDs: Bright RGB lights to indicate which line the train is on
- Live-Updates: Connects to Wi-Fi for live train position data
- Adjustable Brightness: Set the perfect light level for day or night
- Support Local: Circuit board designed in New Zealand (by me!)
- No App Needed: Easy setup with free updates and with a simple website
Preview Demo
I’ve put together a little webpage that shows what this map currently looks like with all the LEDs lit up using the live data from Auckland Transport.
Modes
- Live
- Fetches the latest train positions from the server every 20 seconds over Wi-Fi
- Timetable
- Displays the weekday timetable. Wi-Fi is optional (Used to sync the timetable to the time of day).
- Fast Forward
- At 600x speed (1 second is 10 mins) the map displays the weekday timetable. No server or WiFi required in this mode.
- In Service Live
- The same as Live but without the purple (out of service) trains
In the Box:
- 1 x Fully Assembled LED Train Map (25cm long x 7cm tall)
- 1 x USB A-C power cable (1m white soft silicone)
- 2 x 3D-printed stands (Black)
- 1 x Instruction Manual (Updated for the CRL)
- You need to have a USB charger (USB-A plug, 5V, 0.5A min)
- Note: it also works with USB C-C cables (but this cable is not included)
- If you are not sure whether your charger will work feel free to contact me
Specs:
- Microcontroller: ESP32-C3 chip view datasheet ↗
- 160 MHz RISC-V single-core processor
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 4 (802.11b/g/n)
- 4MB storage (Stores brightness setting and timetable when powered off)
- Lights: 154 tiny addressable RGB LEDs (1.6 x 1.5mm) view datasheet ↗
- Size: 25cm long x 7cm tall
- Antenna: High performance design based on the Texas Instruments SWRU120
No Subscriptions or ongoing fees:
- 10-Year Support: I’ll do my best to keep the data server running until at least 2036 as long as Auckland Transport continue provide the GTFS realtime API with no cost to end users.
- For the self-hosting nerds: If for whatever reason you want to run your own backend server on your local network, the code is open source and can be run in a docker container: View the code on Github
- Fully Open Source: Tech-savvy? All the code is online and free for anyone to use. You can see the Code and Design Files on GitHub
This project has been certified to be open source by The Open Source Hardware Association
Vincent –
I love my birthday present. It sits on my desk at home and I take it to work. It remembers the wifi passwords in both places and it’s lovely ornament and see how the trains are moving around Auckland
Steve Dennehy (verified owner) –
Simply awesome!
Trev (verified owner) –
Smooth setup! Well engineered! A work of art!
Sebastian (verified owner) –
Came very quickly
Easy setup
Looks beautiful 🙂
Peter –
This is a very cool project, I was at a maker talk where Chris presented it and it’s a really nice design. Now if only I lived somewhere where there’s trains…
Christopher –
I absolutely love my Auckland live train map, which made the coolest Christmas gift. It’s such a unique conversation starter, and I find myself zoning out watching the lights flicker on my desk, it’s mesmerising. You can tell it’s a true labor of love from the creator, and that makes it even more special. Honestly, I think this is a wonderful gift idea, completely unique and full of character. I love it so much that I’m already planning to order the Wellington one next.
Stephen –
Amazing birthday present. Looking forward to when he CRL section shows regular services 🙂
Darren Young (verified owner) –
Ordered this to coincide with the opening of the CRL tunnels. This proudly sits in front of my Congestion Free Network 2.0 map by Greater Auckland. This would make a great gift, especially for someone in your life who loves Auckland AND trains. Shout out to all who made this tech possible. I love it so much. Cheers!!!