Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how RailroadRadar (“RailroadRadar,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you visit or use https://railroadradar.com, the RailroadRadar progressive web app, and related pages (together, the “Service”).

By using the Service, you agree to this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use RailroadRadar or create an account.

1. Who We Are and How to Contact Us

RailroadRadar is a live train tracking map that shows live and scheduled passenger trains. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by MassDOT, the MBTA, Amtrak, MTA Metro-North, the Long Island Rail Road, Metra, NJ Transit, CTrail, or any other railroad or public agency.

RailroadRadar is operated in the United States. For privacy questions, account requests, or to exercise the rights below, contact:

Please include the email address on your RailroadRadar account if you have one, so we can locate your records.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Google account sign-in. You may sign in with Google to report locomotive pairings and manage account settings. Google provides your account identifier, email address, display name, and profile photo (if your Google account includes one). We collect your email so we can moderate reports and reach you about your account.
• Train and unit reports. Signed-in users can pair locomotives or special units to live or scheduled trains and add comments. A report may include railroad/agency, train number, vehicle or locomotive identifier, service date, unit name, comment text, and the time of the report.
• Public reporter label. You choose how your name appears on reports: first initial, full Google display name, a custom label, or “Anonymous.” Your email and raw Google name are not shown on the public map.
• Notification and interest settings. You may tell us which railroads or units you follow and whether you want alerts when a watched unit goes live or when a new report is posted.
• Optional contact for future alerts. Some screens mention vehicle or SMS alerts. If those features are enabled and you submit a vehicle ID or phone number, we will use that information only to send the alerts you requested.
• Questions you type in search (“Ask”). If you enter a question, we send the question plus a short snapshot of matching live-train facts, or short excerpts from RailroadRadar’s public pages, to our Ask endpoint. It passes them to our AI provider, Groq, to answer in plain language. No account details are sent with them. Questions we can answer from schedules, alerts, or our own pages are not sent to the Ask endpoint or the AI provider.
• MyTrips trip logs. If you log trips, we store each trip’s railroad, train number, origin and destination stations, times, distance, optional notes, rolling stock, and route segments. Your trips are private unless you publish a public profile. With a public profile, your trips are visible to anyone with your profile link, except trips you mark Hidden.
• Public profile and username. If you publish a MyTrips profile, your username, display name, and Google profile photo are public, and your username is linked to your account ID. Your email is never shown. You can remove the profile at any time, which hides your trips from the public again.
• Live location sharing (special moves). Logging a new special move asks for location access, and you can’t log one without it, because Go live starts a live share. While the share is active, your device sends its precise location, heading, and speed to our database repeatedly, with your first name, trip title, and account ID. Each share gets its own random link code, so a link from an earlier share does not show a later one. Your location is not saved with the trip itself. Anyone viewing the map or your live link can see your current position while the share is active. A share ends when you stop it or after 5 hours at most; when it ends we delete it, and any copy left behind after it expires is removed in our next cleanup.
• Town names on live viewer pages. When someone opens your live link, their browser may ask OpenStreetMap’s Nominatim service for a town or city name near your shared position. The request uses approximate coordinates (rounded to about three decimal places, roughly city-block scale), is rate-limited, and is cached by that rounded cell in the viewer’s browser. RailroadRadar does not send those reverse-geocode requests itself; the viewer’s browser does. See also When we share and Third-party services.
• Press-release comments. Comments on press releases are public and show your Google display name or username (never your email), with the text and time.
• Ban appeals. If your account is disabled and you appeal, we store your appeal message, account ID, email, the ban reason, and the time, so administrators can review it. Only administrators can read appeals.
• Survey responses. If you take our optional survey at railroadradar.com/survey, we store your answers: your overall rating, how likely you are to recommend RailroadRadar, how often you use it, how you heard about RailroadRadar, which features and railroads you use, what you want us to build next, any text you type (such as your favorite part, a feature you could not figure out, or what we could do better), whether you started from the survey invitation, and the time you sent it. We do not store your IP address with your answers. If you are signed in, we also store your account ID. Your email is optional, and we use it only to reply to you about your answers. Only administrators can read survey responses.
• Messages you send us. If you email us, we keep the contents of that correspondence.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Technical and log data. Servers and content-delivery networks may record IP address, browser type, device type, pages requested, referring URL, date and time, and similar diagnostic data needed to operate and secure the Service. Live train data, trip lookups, and Ask questions go through our own proxy servers (Cloudflare Workers at railroadradar-proxy.railroadradar.workers.dev), which receive your IP address and the request.
• Map usage. The live map loads tiles and geographic data from map providers. Those providers may receive your IP address and the map area you view.
• Approximate or precise location (optional). If you allow location access, your browser can share coordinates with RailroadRadar so we can center the map on you and list nearby trains. That calculation runs in your browser, unless you choose to start a live location share (see section 2.1). You can deny or later revoke location permission in your device or browser settings. We do not require location to use the map; it is needed only to log a new special move, which starts a live location share.
• Local device storage. The Service stores preferences on your device (for example cookie consent, map theme, whether train labels or clusters are shown, which railroads are visible, notification choices, and whether you answered or dismissed the survey invitation along with how long you have spent on the site so far, which decides when we show it). During a live location share it also keeps the share’s details and your last shared position, so the share can continue if you reload the page.
• Service worker / installed app. If you install RailroadRadar on your home screen or allow a service worker, your browser may cache map assets for offline or faster loading and may deliver notifications you enabled.

2.3 Information From Transit Agencies and Public Feeds

Live positions, schedules, stations, alerts, and trip history come from public or licensed data sources such as MassDOT/MBTA, Amtrak, MTA (Metro-North and LIRR), Metra, NJ Transit, and CTrail, and from our own processing of those feeds. That operational railroad data is not your personal information. Historical trip lookup may be served through a Google Apps Script endpoint that returns stored vehicle positions.

2.4 Information From Other Users

Other signed-in users may submit reports that appear on trains you are viewing. Public report cards show a contributor label (or “Anonymous”), a verification badge if applicable, and the report content — not the reporter’s email.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information above to:

• Operate the live map, station boards, search, trip pages, and shareable train links.
• Authenticate you with Google, keep you signed in, and remember your settings.
• Accept, display, moderate, and audit train and locomotive reports.
• Enforce community rules, including holding reports for review, verifying trusted reporters, and suspending or banning accounts that abuse the Service.
• Send in-app or browser notifications you have enabled.
• Answer “Ask” questions using live train context you can already see on the map, or text from RailroadRadar’s public pages.
• Understand how the site is used (only if you allow analytics with Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics).
• Learn what to fix and build next from survey answers you choose to send, and reply to you if you gave an email for that.
• Secure the Service, debug outages, prevent fraud or spam, and comply with law.
• Contact you about your account, a report you submitted, or a material change to this Policy.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your reports or account data to build advertising profiles or to show third-party ads.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

When you first visit the map, a banner asks about cookies. You can agree, decline, or choose Customize to decide about analytics yourself. Analytics stays off unless you agree to it.

Category	What it does	Can you turn it off?
Essential — account sign-in	Google Firebase Authentication cookies and storage keep you signed in for reports and account features.	No — required if you use accounts. You can still use the public map without signing in.
Analytics — Microsoft Clarity	If allowed, loads Clarity (clarity.ms) on RailroadRadar pages to see how people use the site. Clarity may use cookies and session replay / heatmaps. We tell Clarity you have not agreed to advertising storage.	Yes. Decline or uncheck Analytics. Clarity is not loaded until you allow it, and turning Analytics off later stops it and clears the Clarity cookies on our site.
Analytics — Google Analytics	If allowed, loads Google Analytics 4 (googletagmanager.com and google-analytics.com) on RailroadRadar pages to count visits and see which pages and features people use. It sets its own cookies on our site (_ga and _ga_…) and collects things like the pages you view, how you got here, approximate location from your IP address, device and browser type, and a random visitor ID. Google Signals and ad personalization are turned off, and we tell Google you have not agreed to advertising storage, ad user data, or ad personalization.	Yes. It uses the same Analytics choice as Clarity. Google Analytics is not loaded until you allow it, and turning Analytics off later stops it from sending data and clears its cookies on our site.
Analytics — Better Stack	If allowed, loads Better Stack monitoring (betterstack.net) to report errors and page performance. If you are signed in, it receives only your account ID, not your email or name.	Yes. It uses the same Analytics choice as Clarity and is not loaded until you allow it.
Preferences — saved settings	localStorage keys such as cookie consent, map theme, display theme (Device, Light or Dark, rr_theme), label/cluster toggles, notification choices, and survey invitation status (rr_survey, rr_survey_time).	No. They only remember choices you make on the site. Clearing site data in your browser removes them.
Functional — live map tiles	Imagery and tiles from Mapbox, OpenStreetMap, or similar providers. Needed to draw the map.	No — the map cannot run without tiles. You can leave the site.

We also store a small consent record in localStorage (rr_cookie_prefs and, for older visits, rr_cookie_consent) so we remember your choice.

Microsoft Clarity is a Microsoft product. If you allow it, Microsoft may collect device and usage data under Microsoft's own privacy terms. You can change your choice at any time with Cookie Settings at the bottom of the map, then refresh the page.

Google Analytics is a Google product. If you allow analytics, Google processes this usage data under Google’s Privacy Policy; you can learn more in How Google Uses Information From Sites That Use Its Services. We use Google Consent Mode, so before you agree no Google Analytics code is loaded, and advertising storage, ad user data, and ad personalization always stay denied. We do not use Google Analytics for advertising. Besides declining in our cookie banner, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics may be linked, so Clarity session information (such as a link to a session recording) can appear in our Google Analytics reports. Both only run if you allow analytics.

5. Accounts, Reports, and Moderation

Creating an account is optional. The map works without signing in.

If you sign in:

• We create an account record keyed to your Google user ID and store your email and display name so administrators can moderate the community.
• Public train-report documents store your user ID, the label you chose, whether you are a verified reporter, and the pairing or comment itself. They are written so that email and raw Google name are not published on the map.
• A separate admin-only audit record may keep fuller contributor identity (including email and Google display name) so we can investigate abuse, duplicate reports, or mistakes.
• Pending reports, report holds, ban records, verified-reporter flags, and an action log may be stored for safety and operations. The action log records your account ID, email, and the action, and is kept for 7 days.
• You may delete your account from the account menu. Deleting removes your sign-in account, account and settings records, public profile and username, trip logs, any live location share, pending reports, and your press-release comments. Public train reports you already submitted stay on trains with the label they were posted under, and the admin-only audit copy of your reports and any ban or appeal records are kept for moderation; email railroadradar@gmail.com and we will delete or anonymize those on request where we can.

RailroadRadar is in active development (beta). Features, stored fields, and retention periods may change as we improve moderation.

6. Notifications

If you enable notifications, your browser or installed web app may receive alerts when a watched unit appears live or when a new report is posted on a unit you follow. On iPhone, notifications generally work only if RailroadRadar is added to the Home Screen; Safari alone may not deliver alerts after you leave the page.

You can disable notifications in RailroadRadar settings and in your browser or operating-system permission controls.

7. When We Share Information

We share personal information only as follows:

• Service providers that host or power the Service, including Google (Firebase Authentication and Cloud Firestore; Google sign-in; Google Apps Script for some historical lookups), Cloudflare (our proxy servers), Groq (AI answers for Ask), and, if you consent, Microsoft (Clarity), Google (Google Analytics), and Better Stack.
• Map and library providers that receive technical data when your browser requests map tiles, map code, or other assets (for example Mapbox, OpenStreetMap contributors, and public CDNs that serve mapping libraries). On a live viewer page, the viewer’s browser may also send approximate coordinates to OpenStreetMap Nominatim to show a town name.
• Transit agencies and public data sources, indirectly: we request their public feeds; we do not send them your account profile in those requests.
• The public, for report content and the reporter label you chose. Do not put information in a comment that you do not want others to see.
• The public, for your public profile and its visible trips, your press-release comments, and your live location while you are sharing it.
• Other users who view a train page or popup that includes community reports.
• Legal and safety: if we believe disclosure is required by law, court order, or to prevent harm, fraud, or abuse.
• Business transfer: if RailroadRadar is transferred or reorganized, account and report data may move with the Service under this Policy or a successor notice.

We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

8. Third-Party Services

These independent services process data when you use RailroadRadar:

• Google Firebase Authentication and Cloud Firestore — account sign-in and database for reports, settings, and moderation. Google’s terms and privacy policy apply to Google’s processing.
• Google Sign-In — you authenticate with Google; we never receive your Google password.
• Microsoft Clarity — optional analytics and session insights, loaded only after consent.
• Google Analytics — optional visit and page-view statistics, loaded only after consent, with advertising features off. It may be linked with Microsoft Clarity.
• Better Stack — optional error and performance monitoring, loaded only after consent; receives only your account ID if signed in.
• Cloudflare Workers — our proxy servers for live data, trip lookups, and Ask; they see your IP address and requests.
• Groq: the AI provider that writes some Ask answers. It receives the question and the facts or page excerpts sent with it from our proxy server, not your IP address or account details.
• Discord — when we publish a press release, its title and link may be posted to our Discord server through a webhook. No visitor or account data is sent.
• Mapbox / OpenStreetMap / Leaflet — map display. OpenStreetMap Nominatim may also receive approximate coordinates from a live viewer’s browser to look up a town name.
• Public CDNs (for example unpkg and jsDelivr) — mapping and data libraries.
• Transit open-data APIs operated by the agencies listed in section 2.3.

Those providers have their own privacy policies. RailroadRadar is not responsible for their independent practices. Links on the Service to agency sites or other third-party pages are provided for convenience only.

9. How Long We Keep Information

• Account and settings data: for as long as your account exists, and a short period afterward if needed to complete deletion or resolve a dispute.
• Train reports and audit logs: for as long as they remain useful to show current or recent pairings and to moderate the community. Older operational reports may be overwritten when a new pairing is submitted for the same train or vehicle.
• Trip logs, public profile, and username: until you delete them or your account.
• Live location shares: deleted when the share ends (when you stop it, or after at most 5 hours); copies left behind after they expire are removed in our next cleanup.
• Action log: 7 days.
• Survey responses: up to 2 years, then deleted. Deleting your account does not remove them; email us and we will delete yours sooner.
• Ban appeals: while the ban and its review are relevant, and as long as needed to protect the Service.
• Cookie consent and local preferences: until you clear site data or change the setting.
• Server and security logs: typically a short operational period unless needed for an investigation.
• Clarity analytics: according to Microsoft’s retention settings for our project, and only if you allowed Clarity.
• Google Analytics: according to the data retention setting for our Google Analytics property, and only if you allowed analytics.

We may keep limited records longer if required by law or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

10. Security

We use reputable cloud providers, HTTPS, and signed-in access controls for reports and admin tools. No internet service is perfectly secure. You are responsible for the security of the Google account you use to sign in. Do not submit sensitive personal information (such as exact home address, phone number, or identification numbers) in a public report comment.

11. Children

RailroadRadar is a general-audience rail map. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child provided personal information, contact railroadradar@gmail.com and we will delete it.

12. Your Choices and Rights

You can:

• Use the map without creating an account.
• Refuse or later revoke location permission.
• Accept, reject, or change cookie / analytics (Clarity, Google Analytics, and Better Stack) preferences via the cookie banner and preference dialog.
• Hide individual trips from your public profile, remove your public profile, or stop a live location share at any time.
• Change how your name appears on reports, or switch to Anonymous.
• Turn notifications off.
• Sign out, or delete your account from the account menu.
• Email us to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you, including a copy of your data (we do not yet offer a self-service export).

Depending on where you live (including California and other U.S. states with privacy laws, and the EEA/UK if GDPR applies to a particular request), you may also have the right to know what we collect, request a copy, request correction or deletion, opt out of “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, and appeal a denied request where the law provides an appeal.

We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are commonly defined for advertising. If that changes, we will update this Policy and provide a required opt-out. We will not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights. We may need to verify your request (for example by confirming control of the email on the account).

13. International Visitors

The Service is hosted and operated in the United States. If you use RailroadRadar from another country, your information will be processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your home country. Google and Microsoft may process data in the United States and other countries where they operate.

Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” signal. There is no consistent industry standard for responding to it. Our cookie banner is the control we offer for optional analytics.

14. Train Data, Changes, and Contact

Live positions, delays, tracks, and alerts come from agency feeds and volunteer reports. Feeds can be late, incomplete, or wrong. RailroadRadar is not responsible for missed trains or decisions you make based on the map. Official information remains with the operating railroad.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The effective date at the top will change when we do. Material changes will be posted on the Service. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised Policy.