diff --git a/src/pages/InsightsPage.vue b/src/pages/InsightsPage.vue
index 35e0035..af3c630 100644
--- a/src/pages/InsightsPage.vue
+++ b/src/pages/InsightsPage.vue
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
                 <li><p>Darts: {{ this.insights["numDarts"] }}</p></li>
             </ul>
         </div>
-        <div id="trainTotalChart">
+        <div v-if="readyToRender" id="trainTotalChart">
             <pieChart id="trainPie" />
         </div>
     </div>
@@ -19,13 +19,10 @@
     <p>Number of actively running trains: {{ this.insights["numRunningTrains"] }}</p>
     <p>Percentage late: {{ this.insights["percentageLate"] }}%</p>
     <p>Percentage early or ontime: {{ this.insights["percentageNotLate"] }}%</p>
-    <div id="statsDiv">
+    <div v-if="readyToRender" id="statsDiv">
         <BarChart id="lateGraph" /> 
     </div>
 
-    <p v-if="this.latestTrain['TrainCode']">Latest train: {{ this.latestTrain["TrainCode"][0] }}, {{ this.insights["latestTime"] }} mins late</p>
-    <p v-if="this.earliestTrain['TrainCode']">Earliest train: {{ this.earliestTrain["TrainCode"][0] }}, {{ this.insights["earliestTime"] * -1 }} mins early</p>
-
     <h1 style="padding-left: 10px;">Station Insights</h1>
     <div id="stationTotal">
         <div id="stationTotalText">
@@ -36,7 +33,7 @@
             </ul>
         </div>
         <div id="stationTotalChart">
-            <pieChart id="stationPie" />
+            <pieChart v-if="readyToRender" id="stationPie" />
         </div>
     </div>
 </div>
@@ -72,12 +69,15 @@
 </template>
     
 <script>
-import {store} from '../store/store'
+import { store } from '../store/store'
+import { getFunctions, httpsCallable, connectFunctionsEmulator } from "firebase/functions";
 import { createToast } from 'mosha-vue-toastify';
 import 'mosha-vue-toastify/dist/style.css'
 import Navbar from '../components/Navbar.vue'
 import BarChart from '../components/BarChart.vue'
 import pieChart from '../components/pieChart.vue'
+import app from '../api/firebase';
+
 export default {
     name: "InsightsPage",
 
@@ -90,19 +90,25 @@ export default {
             })
         }
 
+        let loader = this.$loading.show({
+            loader: 'dots',
+            container: this.$refs.container,
+            canCancel: false
+        });
+
         return {
             insights: {},
-            latestTrain: {},
-            earliestTrain: {},
             rawData: {},
             orderedTrains: [],
             topEarliestLatest: [],
             showTopEarliestLatest: false,
+            readyToRender: false,
             store,
 
             toastMessage: "",
             toastBackground: "",
-            toast
+            toast,
+            loader
         }
     },
 
@@ -113,16 +119,23 @@ export default {
     },
 
     created() {
+        // check if no insight data exists
         if (!store.orderedTrains.length > 0) {
-            this.showToast("Error fetching live data", "red")
+            let host = window.location.hostname
+            if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host === 'localhost') {
+                this.postTrainAndStationData();
+            }  
+            else {
+                this.getTrainAndStationData();
+            }
         }
         else {
             this.insights = store.insights
-            this.latestTrain = store.latestTrain
-            this.earliestTrain = store.earliestTrain
             this.rawData = store.rawData
             this.orderedTrains = store.orderedTrains
             this.topEarliestLatest = this.orderedTrains.slice(0, 3).concat(this.orderedTrains.slice(-3))
+            this.loader.hide();
+            this.readyToRender = true
         }
     },
 
@@ -131,6 +144,108 @@ export default {
           this.toastMessage = message
           this.toastBackground = backgroundColour
           this.toast()
+        },
+
+        postTrainAndStationData() {
+            const functions = getFunctions(app);
+            let host = window.location.hostname
+            if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host === 'localhost') {
+                connectFunctionsEmulator(functions, host, 5001);
+            }
+
+            const postTrainData = httpsCallable(functions, 'postLiveTrainData');
+            postTrainData().then(() => {
+              const postStationData = httpsCallable(functions, 'postStationData');
+              postStationData().then(() => {
+                this.getTrainAndStationData()
+              })
+            })
+            .catch((error) => {
+              this.showToast(error.message, "red")
+            })
+        },
+
+        // condensed version
+        getTrainAndStationData() {
+            const functions = getFunctions(app);
+            let host = window.location.hostname
+            if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host == 'localhost') {
+                connectFunctionsEmulator(functions, host, 5001);
+            }
+
+            const getTrainData = httpsCallable(functions, 'getLiveTrainData');
+            getTrainData().then((response) => {
+                try {
+                    if (!response.data) throw new Error("Error fetching live train data from the database")
+                    var unorderedTrains = [];
+                    var insights =  {
+                      "totalNumTrains": 0,
+                      "numRunningTrains": 0,
+                      "numLateRunningTrains": 0,
+                      "numTrains": 0,
+                      "numDarts": 0,
+                      "totalNumStations": 0,
+                      "numTrainStations": 0,
+                      "numDartStations": 0
+                    };
+
+                    for (var i=0; i<response.data.length; i++) {
+                        let train = response.data[i];
+                        insights["totalNumTrains"] += 1
+                        if (train["TrainType"][0] == "Train") insights["numTrains"] += 1;
+                        else if (train["TrainType"][0] == "DART") insights["numDarts"] += 1;
+                        
+                        train["PublicMessage"][0] = train["PublicMessage"][0].replace(/\\n/g, ". ");
+                        let publicMessage = train["PublicMessage"][0];
+
+                        // check if the train is running
+                        if (train["TrainStatus"][0] == "R") {
+                            insights["numRunningTrains"] += 1;
+                            let startTimeStr = publicMessage.indexOf("(");
+                            let timeEnd = publicMessage.indexOf(" ", startTimeStr+1);
+                            let num = parseInt(publicMessage.substring(startTimeStr+1, timeEnd))
+                            unorderedTrains.push({"time": num, "jsonIndex": i})
+
+                            // check if the train is late
+                            if (publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "-" && publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "0") {
+                                insights["numLateRunningTrains"] += 1;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    insights["percentageLate"] = ((insights["numLateRunningTrains"] / insights["numRunningTrains"]) * 100).toFixed(2);
+                    insights["percentageNotLate"] = (100 - insights["percentageLate"]).toFixed(2);
+                    store.setRawData(response.data);
+                    store.setOrderedTrains(unorderedTrains);
+                    
+                    const getStationData = httpsCallable(functions, 'getStationData');
+                    getStationData().then((response) => {
+                        if (!response.data) throw new Error("Error fetching station from the database");
+                        for (var i=0; i<response.data.length; i++) {
+                            let station = response.data[i];
+                            insights["totalNumStations"] += 1
+                            if (station["StationType"][0] == "DART") insights["numDartStations"] += 1;
+                            else if (station["StationType"][0] == "Train") insights["numTrainStations"] += 1;
+                        }
+
+                        store.setInsights(insights);
+                        this.insights = insights
+                        this.rawData = store.rawData
+                        this.orderedTrains = store.orderedTrains
+                        this.topEarliestLatest = this.orderedTrains.slice(0, 3).concat(this.orderedTrains.slice(-3))
+                        this.loader.hide();
+                        this.readyToRender =  true
+                    })
+                }
+                catch {
+                    this.loader.hide()
+                    this.showToast(error.message, "red")
+                }
+            })
+            .catch((error) => {
+              this.loader.hide()
+              this.showToast("Error fetching live data", "red")
+            })
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/pages/MapPage.vue b/src/pages/MapPage.vue
index aad2448..6565899 100644
--- a/src/pages/MapPage.vue
+++ b/src/pages/MapPage.vue
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ export default {
         })
       }
 
+      let loader = this.$loading.show({
+            loader: 'dots',
+            container: this.$refs.container,
+            canCancel: false
+      });
+
       return {
           center: fromLonLat([-7.5029786, 53.4494762]),
           projection: 'EPSG:3857',
@@ -149,6 +155,7 @@ export default {
           toastMessage: "",
           toastBackground: "",
           toast,
+          loader,
 
           showMainlandStations: true, 
           showDARTStations: true,
@@ -223,7 +230,6 @@ export default {
           })
           .catch((error) => {
             this.readyToDisplayMap = true
-            console.log(error.message)
           })
         },
 
@@ -335,16 +341,13 @@ export default {
             if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host == 'localhost') {
                 connectFunctionsEmulator(functions, host, 5001);
             }
+
             const getTrainData = httpsCallable(functions, 'getLiveTrainData');
-            let loader = this.$loading.show({
-                loader: 'dots',
-                container: this.$refs.container,
-                canCancel: false
-            });
-            
             getTrainData().then((response) => {
                 try {
                     if (!response.data) throw new Error("Error fetching live train data from the database")
+                    var unorderedTrains = [];
+                    var currentMessages = [];
                     var insights =  {
                       "totalNumTrains": 0,
                       "numRunningTrains": 0,
@@ -356,13 +359,6 @@ export default {
                       "numDartStations": 0
                     };
 
-                    var unorderedTrains = [];
-                    var currentMessages = [];
-                    var latest = null;
-                    var earliest = null;
-                    var currLatestTime = null;
-                    var currEarliestTime = null;
-
                     // create an array of coordinates and hashmap with the key-values {index: JSON obj}
                     for (var i=0; i<response.data.length; i++) {
                         let train = response.data[i];
@@ -370,7 +366,7 @@ export default {
                         this.trainCoordinates[i] = fromLonLat([train["TrainLongitude"][0], train["TrainLatitude"][0]])
                         insights["totalNumTrains"] += 1
 
-                        // filling showTrains with the default value - true
+                        // fill showTrains with the default value - true
                         this.showTrains[i] = true;
                         if (train["TrainType"][0] == "Train") insights["numTrains"] += 1;
                         else if (train["TrainType"][0] == "DART") insights["numDarts"] += 1;
@@ -391,35 +387,15 @@ export default {
                             // check if the train is late
                             if (publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "-" && publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "0") {
                                 insights["numLateRunningTrains"] += 1;
-                                if (!latest) latest = train;
-
-                                // check for a new latest train
-                                if (num > currLatestTime) {
-                                    latest = train;
-                                    currLatestTime = num;
-                                }
-                            }
-                            // train is early or ontime
-                            else {
-                                if (!earliest) earliest = train;
-                                // check for a new earliest train (early trains are -x mins late)
-                                if (num < currEarliestTime) {
-                                    earliest = train;
-                                    currEarliestTime = num;
-                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }
 
                     insights["percentageLate"] = ((insights["numLateRunningTrains"] / insights["numRunningTrains"]) * 100).toFixed(2);
                     insights["percentageNotLate"] = (100 - insights["percentageLate"]).toFixed(2);
-                    insights["latestTime"] = currLatestTime;
-                    insights["earliestTime"] = currEarliestTime;
                     this.publicMessages = currentMessages;
 
                     // assign the results to the Vue Store
-                    store.setEarliestTrain(earliest);
-                    store.setLatestTrain(latest);
                     store.setRawData(response.data);
                     store.setOrderedTrains(unorderedTrains);
 
@@ -440,18 +416,18 @@ export default {
                       }
 
                       store.setInsights(insights);
-                      loader.hide();
+                      this.loader.hide()
                       // request the user's preferences
                       this.getPreferences()
                     })
               }
               catch (error) {
-                  loader.hide()
+                  this.loader.hide()
                   this.showToast(error.message, "red")
               }
             })
             .catch((error) => {
-              loader.hide()
+              this.loader.hide()
               this.showToast("Error fetching live data", "red")
             })
         },
diff --git a/src/store/new.js b/src/store/new.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6b8b07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/store/new.js
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+import { reactive } from 'vue'
+import { fromLonLat } from 'ol/proj.js';
+import { getFunctions, httpsCallable, connectFunctionsEmulator } from "firebase/functions";
+import app from '../api/firebase';
+
+export const store = reactive({
+    // map and insights data
+    insights: {},
+    latestTrain: {},
+    earliestTrain: {},
+    orderedTrains: [],
+    selectedTrain: {},
+    selectedStation: {},
+    allTrainsJSON: {},
+
+    // side bar
+    displaySelectedTrain: false,
+    displayedSelectedStation: false,
+
+    // login status
+    loggedIn: false,
+    isWaitingForLoginStatus: true,
+
+    setOrderedTrains(unorderedTrains) {
+        // sort in ascending order
+        unorderedTrains.sort((a, b) => {
+            return a.time - b.time
+        })
+        this.orderedTrains = unorderedTrains
+    },
+
+    // method to populate the database for local testing
+    postTrainAndStationData(host) {
+        const functions = getFunctions(app);
+        if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host === 'localhost') {
+            connectFunctionsEmulator(functions, host, 5001);
+        }
+
+        const postTrainData = httpsCallable(functions, 'postLiveTrainData');
+        postTrainData().then(() => {
+            const postStationData = httpsCallable(functions, 'postStationData');
+            postStationData().then(() => {
+            this.getTrainAndStationData(host)
+            })
+        })
+        .catch((error) => {
+            console.log(error.message)
+            //this.showToast(error.message, "red")
+        })
+    },
+
+    // method to fetch live train  and station data from Firestore
+    getTrainAndStationData(host) {
+        const functions = getFunctions(app);
+        if (host === '127.0.0.1' || host == 'localhost') {
+            connectFunctionsEmulator(functions, host, 5001);
+        }
+        const getTrainData = httpsCallable(functions, 'getLiveTrainData');
+        getTrainData().then((response) => {
+            try {
+                if (!response.data) throw new Error("Error fetching live train data from the database")
+                var insights =  {
+                    "totalNumTrains": 0,
+                    "numRunningTrains": 0,
+                    "numLateRunningTrains": 0,
+                    "numTrains": 0,
+                    "numDarts": 0,
+                    "totalNumStations": 0,
+                    "numTrainStations": 0,
+                    "numDartStations": 0
+                };
+
+                var unorderedTrains = [];
+                var currentMessages = [];
+                var latest = null;
+                var earliest = null;
+                var currLatestTime = null;
+                var currEarliestTime = null;
+
+                for (var i=0; i<response.data.length; i++) {
+                    let train = response.data[i];
+                    this.allTrains[i] = train;
+                    this.trainCoordinates[i] = fromLonLat([train["TrainLongitude"][0], train["TrainLatitude"][0]])
+                    insights["totalNumTrains"] += 1
+
+                    // fill showTrains with the default value - true
+                    this.showTrains[i] = true;
+                    if (train["TrainType"][0] == "Train") insights["numTrains"] += 1;
+                    else if (train["TrainType"][0] == "DART") insights["numDarts"] += 1;
+
+                    // filter out \n in public messages
+                    train["PublicMessage"][0] = train["PublicMessage"][0].replace(/\\n/g, ". ");
+                    let publicMessage = train["PublicMessage"][0];
+                    currentMessages.push(publicMessage);
+
+                    // check if the train is running
+                    if (train["TrainStatus"][0] == "R") {
+                        insights["numRunningTrains"] += 1;
+                        let startTimeStr = publicMessage.indexOf("(");
+                        let timeEnd = publicMessage.indexOf(" ", startTimeStr+1);
+                        let num = parseInt(publicMessage.substring(startTimeStr+1, timeEnd))
+                        unorderedTrains.push({"time": num, "jsonIndex": i})
+
+                        // check if the train is late
+                        if (publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "-" && publicMessage[startTimeStr+1] != "0") {
+                            insights["numLateRunningTrains"] += 1;
+                            if (!latest) latest = train;
+
+                            // check for a new latest train
+                            if (num > currLatestTime) {
+                                latest = train;
+                                currLatestTime = num;
+                            }
+                        }
+                        // train is early or ontime
+                        else {
+                            if (!earliest) earliest = train;
+                            // check for a new earliest train (early trains are -x mins late)
+                            if (num < currEarliestTime) {
+                                earliest = train;
+                                currEarliestTime = num;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // assign results after looping through JSON
+                insights["percentageLate"] = ((insights["numLateRunningTrains"] / insights["numRunningTrains"]) * 100).toFixed(2);
+                insights["percentageNotLate"] = (100 - insights["percentageLate"]).toFixed(2);
+                insights["latestTime"] = currLatestTime;
+                insights["earliestTime"] = currEarliestTime;
+                this.publicMessages = currentMessages;
+
+                // assign the results to the Vue Store
+                store.setEarliestTrain(earliest);
+                store.setLatestTrain(latest);
+                store.setRawData(response.data);
+                store.setOrderedTrains(unorderedTrains);
+
+                const getStationData = httpsCallable(functions, 'getStationData');
+                getStationData().then((response) => {
+                    if (!response.data) throw new Error("Error fetching station from the database");
+                    for (var i=0; i<response.data.length; i++) {
+                        let station = response.data[i];
+                        this.allStations[i] = station;
+                        this.stationCoordinates[i] = fromLonLat([station["StationLongitude"][0], station["StationLatitude"][0]])
+                        insights["totalNumStations"] += 1
+
+                        // setting the station to show on the map by default - true
+                        this.showStations[i] = true; 
+                        if (station["StationType"][0] == "DART") insights["numDartStations"] += 1;
+                        else if (station["StationType"][0] == "Train") insights["numTrainStations"] += 1;
+                        store.setInsights(insights);
+                        loader.hide();
+                        // request the user's preferences
+                        this.getPreferences()
+                    }
+                })
+
+            }
+            catch (error) {
+                //loader.hide()
+                //this.showToast(error.message, "red")
+            }
+        })
+        .catch((error) => {
+            //loader.hide()
+            //this.showToast("Error fetching live data", "red")
+          })
+    }
+})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/store/store.js b/src/store/store.js
index 8a8c6bf..c98bf5f 100644
--- a/src/store/store.js
+++ b/src/store/store.js
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 import { reactive } from 'vue'
 
 export const store = reactive({
+    // map and insights data
     insights: {},
-    latestTrain: {},
-    earliestTrain: {},
     orderedTrains: [],
     selectedTrain: {},
     selectedStation: {},
     rawData: {},
+
+    // side bar
     displaySelectedTrain: false,
     displayedSelectedStation: false,
+
+    // login status
     loggedIn: false,
     isWaitingForLoginStatus: true,
 
@@ -17,14 +20,6 @@ export const store = reactive({
         this.insights = insights
     },
 
-    setLatestTrain(latestTrain) {
-        this.latestTrain = latestTrain
-    },
-
-    setEarliestTrain(earliestTrain) {
-        this.earliestTrain = earliestTrain
-    },
-
     setRawData(rawData) {
         this.rawData = rawData
     },