MetroHero, the real-time Metrorail train tracking and analytics app established in 2015, was set to shut down on July 1, but a clone has already popped up to serve riders. Meanwhile, Metro announced a similar analytics tool, MetroMeter, is launching next week.

MetroHero tracks trains in real-time and provides analytics on the performance of train lines. It’s a rider favorite for its ease of use and ability to see train arrivals at a quick glance compared to WMATA’s official app.

James and Jen Pizzurro decided to shut down MetroHero after they moved out of the D.C. region. It cost too much time and money to maintain. The official apps will stop working Saturday.

But Stephen Repetski, a long-time Metro watchdog who writes for Greater Greater Washington, is picking up where the Pizzurros left off, establishing dcmetrohero.net. The developers opened up the source code to anyone so the site is a clone of the old MetroHero. Other people appear to be working on different versions as well.

Repteski, who goes by @MetroReasons on Twitter and Mastodon, said he’s focused on maintaining the website to start and would only be able to establish iOS and Android apps with help.

However, users can get an app-like experience by bookmarking the webpage on their home screens. On iOS you can navigate to dcmetrohero.net on your web browser, hit the share button, and “add to home screen.” You can follow a similar process on Android.

“I’m pleased to see the MetroHero source code being put to good use—it seems like there are several projects being spun up now based on it, including Stephen’s—and I look forward to seeing what folks do with it going forward,” James Pizzurro said. “It’s a nice silver lining to be able to give back our years of work to the community.”

The app distinguished itself by showing exactly where trains were on the line, highlighting Metrorail and bus performance statistics, and allowing users to mark trains that had hot cars or crowding or disruptive passengers.

It also maintained an archive of historical data on rail trips, which has been valuable to journalists and other Metro watchers after crashes, derailments, and other incidents. You could see the exact times when trains passed through a station, and the train number, which was vital to deciphering radio communications during emergencies.

Its dashboard also shows average wait times, how closely trains were adhering to schedules on each line, and the number of eight-car trains in service, among other items. Advocates and regular people have used the data to hold Metro accountable. It’s data that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

Metro To Launch Similar App

After MetroHero announced its closure in February, Metro General Manager Randy Clarke expressed interest in bringing MetroHero in-house, however, that plan never materialized. Instead, it Metro decided to create something similar.

MetroMeter provide real-time data on headway adherence, schedule adherence, the number of trains in service, and more.

“MetroHero was popular with customers for good reason, and Metro is excited to provide our customers with a similar tool to track our performance in real time and bring more transparency to our operations,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said in a statement. “Metro thanks the creators of MetroHero for their years of service to our customers, and we’re proud to continue their work to shine light on our progress providing excellent service to the region.”

Metro says it’s also working on real-time performance tracking tools for Metrobus and MetroAccess, and will continue to refine reporting tools available to the public based on feedback from customers.

This story was updated with news of Metro’s app.