🚆 Train Simulation with ROS and RViz

🔹 Introduction

This project simulates trains movements using ROS and RViz. The system processes train schedule data, identifies delayed and canceled trains, and visually represents their movement in real-time. The simulation displays stations and trains using markers with different colors based on their status.

🌟 Features

• 📊 Train Data Processing: Retrieves and processes scheduled train data.
• 🎥 Real-Time Visualization: Simulates movement on RViz.
• 🔄 Custom ROS Topics & Services: Implements publishers, subscribers, and custom ROS messages.
• 🕹️ Dynamic Interaction: Displays real-time trains positions, including delays and cancellations.

🛠️ Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

• 🖥️ Ubuntu (Recommended: 20.04 or later)
• 🤖 ROS (Noetic recommended)
• 👀 RViz
• 🐍 Python 3
• 📦 Pandas library (pip install pandas)

⚙️ Public Parameters

• ⏱️ update_frequency (default: 60) - The rate at which data is updated.
• ⏳ delay_threshold (default: 5) - The number of minutes of delay to consider a train as delayed.

📨 Custom Messages

The project uses a custom message type TrainData.msg, containing:

• departure_station - Train departure location.
• arrival_destination - Train destination.
• date_of_journey - Date of travel.
• departure_time - Scheduled departure time.
• arrival_time - Scheduled arrival time.
• actual_arrival_time - Real arrival time (if the status is "Delayed").
• journey_status - Status of the train (✅ On Time, ⏳ Delayed, ❌ Cancelled).
• reason_for_delay - Explanation for delay or cancellation (null if the train is On time).

🔊 ROS Topics

• 📢 /train_data (TrainData.msg): Publishes all trains scheduled for the day.
• 📢 /delay_alerts (TrainData.msg): Publishes delayed or canceled trains.
• 📍 /stations (Marker): Publishes station markers.
• 🚆 /trains (Marker): Publishes markers and movement.

🔧 Project Components

1️⃣ Retrieving Scheduled trains 🚆

• Service: trainDataService.py - Returns trains based on current time.
• Publisher: dataCollector.py - Calls trainDataService.py and publishes to /train_data.
• Subscriber: scheduleDisplay.py - Reads and displays /train_data.

2️⃣ Identifying Delayed & Canceled trains 🚆

• Service: delayAnalysisService.py - Returns delayed/canceled trains.
• Publisher: delayAnalysisClient.py - Calls delayAnalysisService.py and publishes to /delay_alerts.
• Subscriber: scheduleDisplay.py - Reads and displays /delay_alerts.

3️⃣ Searching trains by Departure Station 🏙️

• Service: searchTrainService.py - Returns trains departing from a given departure station.
• Client: searchTrainClient.py - Calls searchTrainService.py and prints results.

4️⃣ Adding New trains to Dataset 🚆

• Service: addTrainService.py - Adds new trains data.
• Client: addTrainClient.py - Reads trains data from trainList.txt and sends it to addTrainService.py.

🎮 Simulation with RViz

In the second part of the project, RViz is used to visualize real-time 🚆 movement.

🎨 Marker Colors:

• 🔵 Blue Cube: Departure Station.
• 🔴 Red Cube: Arrival Station.
• 🟢 Green Sphere: On-time train.
• 🟡 Yellow Sphere: Delayed train.
• 🔴 Red Sphere: Canceled train (remains at departure station).

🏃 Execution:

• 📍 stationPublisher.py - Publishes station markers.
• 🚆 trainSimulator.py - Manages trains movement and visualization.

⚙️ RViz Setup:

1️⃣ Open RViz. 2️⃣ Add topics:

• ➕ Add -> Topics -> /stations (for 🏢 stations)
• ➕ Add -> Topics -> /trains (for 🚆 trains)

🔧 Installation & Setup

1️⃣ Create a ROS workspace:

mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
cd ~/catkin_ws/src
catkin_init_workspace

2️⃣ Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/MarioCicalese/TrainSimulator-Rviz-ROS.git

3️⃣ Build the workspace:

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin_make

4️⃣ Source the workspace:

source devel/setup.bash

5️⃣ Run the services & publishers:

rosrun train_simulation stationPublisher.py
rosrun train_simulation trainSimulator.py

6️⃣ Open RViz and add topics as described above.

📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. ✅