# Highball: Train Spotter — Real-Time Train Tracking

> Real-Time Train Tracking (iPhone/iPad app by Duncan Grazier.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highball-train-spotter/id6761073894 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Duncan Grazier](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883130848)
- Category: Travel, Entertainment
- Price: $1.99
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 15 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, European Spanish
- Released: 2026-03-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-11
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highball-train-spotter/id6761073894/reviews.md

## What is Highball?

Highball shows you exactly when trains are arriving near you. Whether you're a railfan, a parent with a kid who loves trains, or just standing near the tracks wondering what's coming — Highball puts live train data in your pocket.

LIVE TRAIN TRACKING
See every train operating near you with real-time arrival countdowns. The hero timer shows the next train at a glance — no timetables to decode.

INTERACTIVE MAP
Watch trains move in real time with directional arrows showing which way they're heading. Tap any train for route details, speed, and ETA. When multiple trains overlap, swipe through the chip bar to select one.

SPOT LOG
Spot trains you see and build your collection. Every spot records the train number, route, time, and your location. Earn badges as you go — from Rookie to Train Master.

NOTIFICATIONS
Get alerted when a train is approaching within 15 minutes. Works even when the app is in the background so you never miss one.

SUPPORTED RAILROADS
• Metrolink (Southern California)
• Caltrain (San Francisco Bay Area)
• More agencies coming soon

FEATURES
• Live GTFS-RT data refreshed every 30 seconds
• Bearing inference shows train direction even when feeds don't provide it
• Pull-to-refresh on every screen
• Persistent spot log that survives app restarts
• English and Spanish localization
• Accessibility labels throughout
• No account required — just location

Highball is named after the historic railroad signal that meant "all clear — full speed ahead."

## Chart rankings

- #197 in Top Paid · Travel (US App Store)


## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0.0 — 2026-07-20

Highball 2.0 - our biggest update yet.

• Time Travel: jump up to 7 days ahead and see which trains are scheduled near you at any time
• Share cards: turn a train identification into a square photo card, ready to share anywhere
• Smarter identification: the locomotive classifier now knows 10 models and updates over the air — no app update needed
• Apple Watch: identification results now appear on your wrist alongside the nearest train
• A refreshed Liquid Glass look on iOS 26 and later
• Edit any spot's locomotive model right in your Spot Log
• Plus fixes: camera capture orientation, header layout, and localization improvements

### 1.2.1 — 2026-07-13

Bug Fixes & Improvements
Faster, smoother, and more reliable trackside. New agencies are on the way.

### 1.2 — 2026-04-14

What's New in Highball v1.2

  Apple Watch
  A new Watch companion app puts your nearest trains on your wrist. Glance at your watch to see what's approaching — no phone required.

  Live Activities
  Live Activities keep an approaching train's countdown on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island while you wait on the platform.

  Instant App Open
  The app now loads your last-known trains immediately on open, refreshing in the background — no more staring at a spinner.

  Spot Log Sharing
  Export your spot log as a CSV to save, share, or analyze your train sightings.

  More Languages
  Added French, German, and Japanese. Highball now supports English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese.

  Better Offline Experience
  Improved error handling and offline caching mean the app degrades gracefully when you lose signal in the field.

  Train Approaching Notifications
  Get notified when a train is closing in on your location.

  Bug Fixes & Improvements
  - Data status labels on all screens so you always know how fresh the data is
  - Wider 25 km search radius with a last-updated badge
  - Various stability fixes

### 1.1 — 2026-03-30

What's New in v1.1:
- Train approaching notifications — get alerted when a train is within 15 minutes
- Background refresh keeps checking even when the app is closed
- Android dark mode support
- Improved search radius for finding nearby trains

### 1.0 — 2026-03-28

No release notes.

## More apps by Duncan Grazier

- [Slow Them Down](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slow-them-down/id6760197118)

All apps by Duncan Grazier: https://appshunter.io/developer/1883130848

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-11.*