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diff --git a/GLOSSARY.md b/GLOSSARY.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..664edd9 --- /dev/null +++ b/GLOSSARY.md @@ -0,0 +1,69 @@ +# Glossary + +This is meant to give a rough overview of (train-related) terms used in +this code; both for others as a reference and for me so I can remember +to use them in a (somewhat) consistent way, since they are somewhat +arbitrary. I've tried to remain at least broadly close to the +terminology used by GTFS. + +## Terms + +(Calendar-)Date / Day +: A single, unique day (e.g. 1970-01-01). Usually used to indicate if a + *trip* is running on that day or not. + +Time (of Day) +: Time on a given day, given in seconds (though often displayed as + minutes) since midnight. If a trip crosses midnight it is treated as if + it took place entirely on the previous day, and times simply count up + beyond the total number of seconds in a day (note that that's a + timezone-series dependent number). + +Trip (don't confuse with Train) +: Used as in GTFS: a trip is a defined sequence of *stops*, referred to by + a number (called its trip ID, e.g. IC 94). Usually runs on multiple + days. Always has an associated *shape*. + + (might match your intuition for "train line") + +Stop +: A *station* with associated arrival/departure *time*. + +Station +: A train station. Tracktrain refers to each by an ID, and hopefully knows + its geolocation. + +Shape +: A sequence of geolocations describing a line between stations, + describing the physical railway along which trains travel. + +Train (don't confuse with Trip) +: A single instance of a *trip* on a concrete *date*. Tracktrain mostly + concerns itself with keeping track of those; the rest is just additional + stuff. + +Vehicle +: An actual, physical vehicle, which might act as the *train* going along + a *trip* on a certain *date*. + + For now tracktrain doesn't really care about them (but if it's curious + it might yet learn about them!) + +Announcement +: The thing that GTFS calls "Service Alert" --- a text message giving + human-readable information about some *train*. + +(Train-)Ping +: A single packet of data sent from a train's *OBU*. Might arrive in some + arbitrary order. + +Control Room +: The "admin interface" of tracktrain, which is not meant to be used by + on-board staff. + +On-Board Unit (OBU) +: A thing on a vehicle which does geolocation tracking and yells at + tracktrain about it. + + If we ever run into potential confusion regarding this term we're + probably way too professional to actually use tracktrain for anything. |