Privacy Policy

Independent App Disclaimer

RailWatch Alabama is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or operated by the City of Alabaster, Alabama or by Alabaster Connect.

Information We Collect

If you create an account, RailWatch Alabama uses Firebase Authentication to manage your email address, encrypted sign-in credentials, and a Firebase account identifier.

When you submit a crossing update, vote on reliability, favorite a crossing, or enable alerts, the app stores those actions in Firebase so the service can show the current crossing state, remember your preferences, and limit spam or abuse.

If you allow location access, the app uses your device location to show your position on the map and center the map on you. RailWatch Alabama does not intentionally store your precise location in its Firebase backend as part of normal app use.

The app also stores technical and operational details such as device platform, notification permission status, Expo push tokens, and service logs needed to deliver notifications, secure the service, and troubleshoot issues.

If you browse in read-only mode, limited preference data such as favorites saved before sign-in may be kept locally on your device using local app storage until you clear the app data or remove the app.

How We Use Information

RailWatch Alabama uses collected information to authenticate accounts, display railroad crossing conditions, process community reports, calculate reliability signals, send notifications for favorited crossings, and keep the service functioning securely.

We also use report timing, account identifiers, and related operational data to enforce cooldowns, reduce spam, investigate misuse, and improve the reliability of crossing information shown to other users.

How Information Is Shared

RailWatch Alabama relies on service providers including Google Firebase (authentication, database, hosting, and cloud functions), Expo and platform notification services (push notifications), Apple and Google map/location services, and Twilio for city alert ingestion tied to railroad crossing updates.

We do not sell personal information and we do not use RailWatch Alabama for third-party advertising.

Crossing status, report timing, vote totals, and similar community-generated crossing information may be visible to other users of the app. Your email address is not displayed publicly in the app, but backend records may include an internal account identifier so reports and votes can be managed securely.

Data Retention and Deletion

Account details, favorites, notification settings, and push tokens are kept while your account remains active or until they are changed, removed, or no longer needed for service operations.

Crossing reports, reliability votes, and operational logs may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to operate RailWatch Alabama, maintain crossing history, enforce anti-abuse protections, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes or security issues.

If you want to delete your account, use the in-app Delete account option in the signed-in account panel or follow the instructions on the account deletion page. Some records may need to be retained for legal, safety, fraud-prevention, or operational reasons.

Security

RailWatch Alabama uses service-provider security controls such as encrypted network transport, authenticated write access for account features, and Firebase security rules designed to limit unauthorized changes.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children and Policy Changes

RailWatch Alabama is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the app.

If RailWatch Alabama changes its privacy practices, this policy will be updated and the revised version will be posted at the privacy policy URL and made available inside the app.

Contact and Privacy Requests

For privacy questions, deletion requests, or other data inquiries, please use the developer support contact shown in the RailWatch Alabama App Store or Google Play listing.

You can review the RailWatch Alabama SMS Alerts and Consent page for public messaging disclosures and sample consent language.

You can also review the RailWatch Alabama Terms of Service.