I don't think the API does what you think. The realtime data just does not exist for "all trains across the European continent".

These websites do not exist, then

https://opendata.stackexchange.com/questions/9547/is-there-a...

Lists and maps exist, but that doesn't mean they cover every country and train.

Also, GTFS is schedule data, not realtime data. When you click a train on such a service's map, it may or may not make it clear whether the shown location is based on the interpolation of some schedule data, whether the interpolation has been adjusted by some updated data (cancellations, delays), or whether it's actually based on realtime location data.

Right, so that's one transit company in one country. The whole point is that global flight tracking data is standardised and easily machine-parsable.

European continent has more than 20 countries not one.

No, SBB has the unifying database for all trains across all of Europe. The job is already done.

What does SBB or trainline.eu do that Google or Apple can't do?

Or do you think Europe is one country?

I've had success using the Transit app, which tracks trains and busses, even in the small US city I live in.

And I'm certain there are at least a few people who are not "young American males" working for the companies that are mentioned in the article.

> There is, though, quite some lack of curiosity from young American males to anything outside their own little lives

That's false, bigoted, and has no place in this conversation.

It's just true. Remember when Apple launched HealthKit with alcohol tracking and no period tracking? Tell me how that release could pass months of development and management without anyone thinking about it once.

https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/25/6844021/apple-promised-an...

When Apple did release period tracking it was way more feature rich than alcohol tracking. It was backed by research into the human body. It uses multiple data points to estimate a complex process that occurs in the human body, and present actionable information to the user. It’s not just a record book.

Alcohol tracking is a pretty view over a logbook. Date time quantity and that’s it.

Oh and since I know someone from the team that did this, I can guarantee you there’s at least one non “American male” that implemented it.

Putting out a new app with initial features that are relevant to people of either sex like blood alcohol content or sodium intake vs features that are only relevant to half the population doesn't seem terrible to me. How many male exclusive metrics did it roll out with on day one?

Are you seriously suggesting that the most probable reason for not implementing a feature is bigotry? This is not Verge, this is HN. We're not journalists, we actually work in this industry.

"We judge ourselves to be good people who are not wrong whatsoever. Trust us, we know."

This is a disgusting comment.

This is, alas, something seen again and again. The best and the brightest, working for a company that prides itself on user experience, create an health app and what does it track at lauch? Alcohol, not periods.

https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/25/6844021/apple-promised-an...

Tell me how this isn't a clear proof of a whole culture of navel-gazing, so strong it can defeat a prime company's culture of user experience, hardcore recrutment and management.