NYC Subway Status Board Screensaver
The NYC Subway Status Board screensaver shows real line-by-line service status on a Solari-style split-flap board, read straight from the MTA's public real-time alerts feed every five minutes. Lines with no active alert read GOOD SERVICE. It's free, needs an internet connection, and ESC exits.
How the NYC Subway Status Board screensaver works
Your browser fetches the MTA's GTFS-realtime subway alerts feed (key-less, CORS-enabled JSON) every five minutes.
Alerts are matched to line groups in MTA order — 1 2 3 · 4 5 6 · 7 · A C E · B D F M · G · J Z · L · N Q R W · S · SIR.
Each group shows its worst currently-active alert type; live disruptions like DELAYS always outrank planned service changes, which read PLANNED WORK.
Tiles riffle split-flap style whenever a status changes, and the header counts active alerts.
A worked example
On a rough morning the board might read 1 2 3 DELAYS, L PART SUSPENDED, and nine rows of GOOD SERVICE — the same statuses the MTA is publishing at that moment, riffling into place as they change. In Multi-view it sits nicely beside a clock or weather saver.
Settings & tips
- Board width/height resize the flap grid — 11 rows fits every line group.
- Flap click sound adds the mechanical clatter (off by default).
- PLANNED WORK only shows when nothing worse is live on that line group.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this the MTA's real status?
- Yes. It reads the MTA's own real-time alerts feed — the same data behind the official service status page — and shows the worst active alert per line group.
- Do I need an API key?
- No. The MTA subway alerts feed used here is public, key-less and CORS-enabled.
- Does it work offline?
- No — it needs an internet connection to poll the MTA feed; offline it shows a short notice.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- Why does a line read PLANNED WORK instead of the detail?
- Planned service changes are summarised as PLANNED WORK so live disruptions stand out. If a live alert and planned work overlap, the live alert type wins the row.