ThirdRails Radar

Welcome to the ThirdRails Radar — the heart of the multiplay experience in ThirdRails! The radar is a live online map that displays your ride in real time, turning solo journeys into a shared adventure. Whether you’re running a timetable across beautiful landscapes or just free-roaming, you can make your rides visible — to yourself, your friends, or the whole world.

What is the ThirdRails Radar?

The radar is a simple yet powerful website where your position is shown once you start broadcasting from ThirdRails. You can:

• Be visible to everyone on the Community Radar (default and recommended for maximum fun),
• Or, if you prefer, use your Personal Radar to track only your own ride privately,
• Create a Group Radar for private multiplayer events with friends.

The radar works in any modern web browser — PC, tablet, phone — even inside your cab if you want! It’s designed to be lightweight, fast, and accessible wherever you are.

How It Works

Using the radar is easy:

• Start broadcasting your position using the ThirdRails app (ThirdRails Map tool).
• By default, your position will appear live on the Community Radar together with other players — creating a fun, shared multiplayer experience.
• If you prefer, you can also view only your own ride using your Personal Radar.
• A personal link (tiny URL) is generated automatically — you can open it on any device with a web browser, no special software needed.

Once broadcasting, you can minimize ThirdRails Map and enjoy your drive. Your ride will continue to update live in the radar environment!

Radar Types

Personal Radar

Your private live map, showing only your own ride. Ideal for monitoring your journey from a second screen or mobile device, without the distraction of other players.
You can also display your in-app created Points of Interest (POIs) directly on your Personal Radar, enriching your map with your own landmarks and notes.

Community Radar (TCR)

The ThirdRails Community Radar is an open global radar displaying all active drivers who are broadcasting. Think of it as a virtual railway network where you see trains crossing landscapes, meeting at junctions, or racing along parallel tracks. Switch easily between your Personal and Community radar views.

Multiplay Style:
On the Community Radar, you’re part of a living, breathing railway community. You can:

• See fellow drivers live on the map,
• Interact via public Tag Chat,
• Open a Steam Chat if you're Steam friends — for planning meets or just casual talk.

It’s the closest thing to real-time multiplayer without needing special servers!

Group Radar

Planning a private session? The Group Radar allows you to filter only players with a shared group tag. Perfect for:

• Multiplayer events,
• Friend convoys,
• Themed runs like "Cargo Nights" or "Regional Express Days".

Just agree on a tag before starting your broadcast, and your group will automatically be isolated on its own radar view!

Enhanced Map Experience: OpenRailwayMap Layers

On top of the OpenStreetMap or Bing maps, ThirdRails Radar also supports OpenRailwayMap layers — bringing even more realism to your experience! With these layers, you can toggle detailed railway information, including:

• Track layouts,
• Speed limits,
• Signals and safety zones,
• Electrification info,
• Platform locations and infrastructure details.

This extra layer of track data helps you plan your drives better, recognize speed zones, and enjoy an even deeper simulation feeling, especially when using real-world routes!

Enhanced Realism: Real-World Radars

For those aiming for the ultimate simulation experience, ThirdRails Radar also supports real-world radar sid-by-side alongside your virtual journey. When using a Real Drive (Learn more here), you can compare your progress directly against real-world train movements and infrastructure maps.

This allows you to:

• Measure your train's position against actual timetabled services,
• Visualize real-life track usage while following your virtual timetable,
• Enhance immersion by blending real-world operations with your simulator experience.

Combining the virtual radar with real-world data brings your drive closer than ever to authentic railway operations — bridging the gap between simulation and reality!

See It in Action

🚦 Curious? You can visit the live radar here:
👉 www.rentor.nl

Whether you're tracking yourself quietly or joining the big multiplayer world, the ThirdRails Radar transforms your rides into living, breathing railway adventures.
Ready to take your cab experience to the next level? 🌍🚂