Railfan Technology > Clackety

We would like to announce the release of a new App "Clackety" for IOS devices.  This is a mobile app to locate Heritage units, and to alert users when they are close by.  We need to build a community of users who all log in their sightings.  The App will then send push alerts to users when units are sighted near user locations. The App is FREE, and we are encouraging everyone to log all Heritage unit sightings using the App. Then let your phone tell you when a Heritage unit is nearby.

How do you define "heritage" unit.

JBWX

Well Ive installed it but not seeing anything!  Agree what is defined as heritage.  Perhaps more info on what to expect and what should be reported would be helpful.

Thank you for your questions.

We have auto-populated a list of Heritage and "special interest" locomotives on the app--with the app open, you can scroll through that list to log a sighting.  Hopefully anything a user would consider to be a "heritage unit" is already in our database--if not, please just email us and we will add it! 

The idea behind the app is to function as a push-alert system that tells users when other users have sighted a heritage unit nearby.  There is also an ability to log sightings at remote locations, i.e. webcam sightings.  When users log sightings, those locations and sightings are used to alert the other app users.  This works best, clearly, when lots of people are using the app and logging their sightings, so we are trying to build a large user community who are all logging their sightings. 

Thanks again!
 

A suggetion:  Each user shold be able to define --
set parameters -- for what he or she considers to
be "local".  Many people drive lonog distance in their
daily commutes, and for pleasure, so :local" should
be easily defineable by each user.

Sounds like a great app!

And doesn't "heritage unit" mean the 20-some NS
l;ocomotives painted in 1950s-style paint scheme of
their predecessor RRs, and the UP's 6 pr so locomotives?

In fact, the user *can* set an individual mile radius preference for alerts!

We are using/misusing the "Heritage Unit" term as the most concise language for "random locomotives of interest"

Happy hunting, and thank you!   

How about an Android version?


Ted
 

For the time being, we only had development $$ for one OS, so iOS was the pick.  If we eventually make any money on this free app, the funds will go toward an android version!