A couple of posters have mentioned that the web cam streaming hangs/freezes when viewing. I noticed this was a frequent occurence when using a browser which automatically choose Windows Media Player. I would add that the speed required was quite sufficient.
I installed the VLC Media Player (which often handles things that Windows MP won’t). This is far superior and whilst there are some very minor issues and the pic will hang for just a second or two it is far superior and more pleasurable to watch than WMPlayer.
…I have noticed it just several times. Yesterday as I watched a coal train move west, it stopped several times, and when streaming, was a bit jerky, but has happened to me just several times.
Guess I really don’t know what media player mine is coming in on…
Today I saw an unusual train heading west at about 2:00 pm. A lot of what looked like mobile homes on flatcars , several gray ns boxcars , white trucks and a white bus on flatcars , and quite a few flatcars with all kinds of equipment. I assume it was a maintainance or construction train . RON .
I saw, and posted about it on another Forum, that unusual train that j610 saw. The earth moving equipment suggested an MOW train and thank you to Zugmann for confirming that.
A pity I missed the circus train but it was past bedtime here when the train went through.[:o)]
Sure wish I could have also caught the circus train . But that is one train that you are unlikely catch unless you have the circus schedule . I am really enjoying this new camera location . RON
Along with the more prevalent road traffic noise, there is not going to be a whole lot to be heard other than wheels squealing and some dynamic brake whine as heavy trains move eastbound. Keep in mind that this is a mostly slow speed area, it is flat and westbound trains won’t be picking up the throttle until about a good quarter mile more westward.
I am satisfied that they moved the camera to where it is today. Save the money needed to only provide a bunch of “NOISE”.
…I agree, there probably would not be much “railroad” sounds with the slow speeds there…Item: The street in the Netherland cam is between the RR and the cam…Sound of the street is prominent, but you sure can hear the warning bells for the RR gates as a train passes. No train {whistles / horns}…
You are right . The camera is a lot further away from the tracks than the one in the netherlands .Didn`t think before opening my mouth . Still a very enjoyable rail cam . RON
…Just a comment: The audio pickup on the system in the Netherlands seems to be rather sensitive. You can hear people talking as they go by riding on bikes…and I’ve even heard birds chirping.
Before you start worrying about sound, note that there are still a few video issues that need to be taken care of. The camera often starts lagging between 8 and 11 AM. I don’t know if it’s due to some kind of bandwidth limitation on their end (too many railfans logging onto the camera or join bandwidth usage by other people in teh area), or if it’s on my end (too many people logging on and using bandwidth around here). In addition, I still think that the switchover to white at night is quite ugly, and it seems to be a “feature” of some kind that nobody wants. Perhaps they thought it might help the trains stand out better at night, but I think it was unanimous on here that the night white effect is undesired. Upgrading these issues would be the first thing to do before even thinking about adding any more bandwidth-consuming stuff like sound.
If money is an issue, perhaps they could ask for a donation from Coca Cola for all the free advertising it’s getting from the cam. There are quite a few of those trucks running around. It’s also kinda nice seeing how many different designs they have on them. There are quite a few.
God excrement! I just saw a steam locomotive at high noon on the webcam, May 7! It was too dark from the opposing sun to read the lettering, but it crept through the cam on the closest track, with several railfans following it along, including 1 guy in a golf cart! It also had 2 NS diesels trailing it in AB formation, with the second being a high-nosed unit 3224. Anybody got stills or saved snapshots of that? That would certainly be the kind of stuff to post here! And does anybody know what the plans are for this thing?
This reminds me of another feature we need-the ability to save snapshots. While the Rochelle method of motion-detection wouldn’t work for this, at least have a special webpage with an imbedded media player, including a button to take instant snapshots included. With all the great things we see on teh cam, a pic-saving feature is something I think we really need for that. Who agrees?
-ADDITION-the NS diesel locos passed back through 20 minutes later and sat at the far signal bridge.
At 12:30, with a train coming up behind it, the locos crept forward to the opposite side of the signal bridge. At this moment (12:35), that train has backed up out fo view again, but the 2 locos remain in the same spot.
12:40-the locos are gone, and I didn’t see where to.
12:45-the locos are going up the far track, out to the top right of the camera.
…Just to be clear…Were the Diesels doing the power, or was the steamer on it’s own power…?
Item: I am not “worring” about the sound"…I’m just commenting how much audio enhances the program, cam / audio.
I’m happy the cam is where it is…and that it produces a large format size picture…even full screen if one desires. Size, and streaming video is so much more enjoying to watch than Rochelle.
It was the diesels pushing the steam loco. I know, a bit sad, but still a nice site. Thanks to my inability to take snapshots, I don’t have anything to show the rest of you. I’m hoping somebody, somewhere, got a copy of the good stuff.