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n4sky authored Sep 17, 2023
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# bart-route-tracker
A simple server on [Render.com](https://render.com) and route visualizer using a [Raspberry Pi Pico W](https://www.pishop.us/product/raspberry-pi-pico-w/) with a [Pimoroni Pico Display Pack](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pico-display-pack?variant=32368664215635)

## What is this?
# BART Route Tracker
This lets me track the ETAs of Bay Area Rapid Transit train lines at the stop nearest my home. I can more efficiently plan walks to the station using this information.
[Watch a brief demonstration video here](https://github.com/n4sky/bart-route-tracker/assets/8070562/3a1a7267-9eb4-40a0-8c67-ec2514572649)

## Why not use Google Maps?
I don't like to keep glancing at my phone/computer. This is a more similar UX to a train/plane ETA board at a transit hub, which I prefer.
<img width="875" alt="image" src="https://github.com/n4sky/bart-route-tracker/assets/8070562/561f7a97-e2fd-412e-a444-e24d889f3531">

## What are the different components?
1) A simple server hosted on [Render.com](https://render.com) (written in Python), and
2) A route visualizer using a [Raspberry Pi Pico W](https://www.pishop.us/product/raspberry-pi-pico-w/) with a [Pimoroni Pico Display Pack](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pico-display-pack?variant=32368664215635) (written in Micropython, specifically Pimoroni's [distribution](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico)

## Why not just use Google Maps?
I don't like to keep glancing at my phone and computer. This is a similar experience to a train/plane/bus ETA board at a transit hub, which I prefer.

## What's with the server?
The server wouldn't normally be necessary, but the BART API is behind Cloudflare, which seems to block requests that originate from Raspberry Pico Ws. The server is just middleware to make a request on behalf of the Pico W, do a bit of cleanup with the response, and then send back the data to the microcontroller.
The server wouldn't normally be necessary, but the BART API is behind Cloudflare; Cloudflare seems to block requests that originate from the Raspberry Pico W. The server is just middleware to make a request on behalf of the Pico W, perform a bit of cleanup with the response, and then send back the relevant response data to the microcontroller.

## Links:
* [Documentation for the Pimoroni Pico Display Pack here](https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pico/blob/main/micropython/modules/picographics/README.md#changing-the-font)
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