# The Curious Storyteller: From late nights in a Hackspace to a Train Tracker people watch for comfort

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-neurodivergent-connection-the-curious-storyteller-4254621/the-curious-storyteller-from-late-nights-in-a-hackspace-to-a-train-tracker-people-watch-for-comfort
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-neurodivergent-connection-the-curious-storyteller-4254621/the-curious-storyteller-from-late-nights-in-a-hackspace-to-a-train-tracker-people-watch-for-comfort.md
Podcast: [The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-neurodivergent-connection-the-curious-storyteller-4254621)
Published: 2026-05-25T17:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergentconnection-thecuriousstroyteller/from-late-nights-in-a-hackspace-to-a-train-tracker-people-watch-for-comfort
Audio file: https://pdcn.co/e/https://audio.ausha.co/GAnljiaG8lz1.mp3?t=1779641591
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-neurodivergent-connection-the-curious-storyteller-4254621/episodes/the-curious-storyteller-from-late-nights-in-a-hackspace-to-a-train-tracker-people-watch-for-comfort
Duration seconds: 3617

## Resource

Why a Real-Time Train Board Feels So Calming to Watch What starts as a story about a train board turns into something much bigger: pattern, comfort, design, and the quiet pull of watching a system move in real time. In this episode, I sit down with Griffin Van Horn, creator of Traintrakr.io, to talk about how a late-night makerspace idea became a product people connect with in ways no one fully expected. We get into the moment the project stopped feeling like an experiment, why simple design can say more than a screen full of data, and what happened when customers began sharing deeply personal reasons they loved it. I also explore something that really stayed with me: why movement, rhythm, and visible patterns can feel so grounding. If you’ve ever wondered why certain objects bring comfort, focus, or connection, this conversation will give you a lot to think about. About my guest: Griffin Van Horn is the creator of Train Tracker, a real-time transit display that turns live train data into a clean, visual experience. His work brings together engineering, design, and a strong respect for community-built ideas. You’ll hear how Train Tracker grew from a handmade prototype into something people use for far more than commute info—and why that matters. Key Timestamps 0:03 - I welcome Griffin Van Horn and introduce Train Tracker 0:21 - How the idea began in the Cambridge Hackspace 9:01 - The surprise behind what they were really building 17:57 - The moment the project started feeling real 20:36 - What the first version looked like behind the scenes 26:02 - What early users taught them about simplicity 32:21 - Why people connect with the feeling, not just the data 40:12 - The unexpected stories that made the work feel bigger 44:11 - Why trains and patterns can feel oddly calmin…

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