sandhog

Sandhog allows developers to easily use some of the MTA’s webservices by abstracting the interaction through the Sandhog object.

For example, you can get the status of the L train with the following code.

$status = new Sandhog();
echo $status->service->status('l');

You can query Sandhog for every subway, major bridge, tunnel, bus, LIRR line, and MetroNorth line. Check out example.php.

Features

• Don’t worry about navigating unruly XML. Just use $data = new Sandhog(); and you’re good to go.
  • Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about bridges vs tunnels vs subway. Just use service->whatever().
• Don’t worry about bad/dirty data. Sandhog automatically strips away any HTML because it likes to make your life easier.

Sandhog API

service->
    status()                // returns the status of a subway line, Metro North Train, bridge, or tunnel
    name()                  // returns the name of a subway line, Metro North Train, bridge, or tunnel
    text()                  // returns any text explaining the status. this usually occurs when the status() != good service
    plannedworkheadline()   // returns the headline summarizing any planned work (protip: this only works with subways)
    date()                  // not exactly sure what this is referring to since the feed is allegedly updated every 60 seconds
    time()                  // see above

What’s a Sandhog?