Setup & Installation
Or with the ClawHub CLI, for registry-managed skill folders outside a full OpenClaw workspace:
What This Skill Does
Provides real-time Chicago Metra commuter rail data for all 11 lines, including train arrivals, vehicle positions, service alerts, and fare calculation. Pulls from Metra's official GTFS-RT protobuf feeds and falls back to static schedule data when live data is unavailable. Requires a free API key from Metra's developer portal.
Combines live GTFS-RT data with static schedule fallback and zone-based fare lookup in one command interface, so commuters get accurate arrival times even when real-time feeds are down.
When to use it
- Checking next inbound BNSF train from Naperville to Union Station
- Getting service alerts before leaving for the Ogilvie platform
- Calculating the fare between two Metra zones
- Tracking where a specific UP-N train is right now
- Looking up the Saturday schedule for Metra Electric
Example Workflow
Here's how your AI assistant might use this skill in practice.
User asks: When is the next inbound BNSF train from Naperville?
- 1Run the arrivals command for Naperville station filtered to the BNSF line
- 2Fetch and parse the GTFS-RT trip update protobuf from Metra's feed
- 3Compare real-time predictions against static schedule times
- 4Check for active BNSF service alerts
- 5Format results with train number, real-time ETA, scheduled time, and any active alerts
Upcoming BNSF inbound trains at Naperville showing train numbers, real-time ETAs alongside scheduled times, and any active service alerts for the line
Requirements
Accounts, API keys, or tools you or your AI assistant may need to set up while using this skill.