I’m pretty opinionated about how a model railroad web site ought to look.
I’ve seen sites that are mostly text and sites that are glorified picture albums without decent captions. Both, IMO, are squandering what the web is all about. Give me pictures and meaty captions – now that’s more like it.
Also, I like to see model RR web sites that give me some details on some of your techniques. If you are going to all the trouble to put a site on the web, don’t just strut your stuff – give to the rest of us too by sharing some of what you’ve learned.
It’s all about balance, I think. Balance nice pictures with meaty text, and balance the site’s purpose so it’s both show and tell.
I like to think my Siskiyou Line web site exhibits this sort of helpful balance.
Congratualtions on your impressive accomplishment and website. As a frequent visitor and owner of all three of your DVDs, I continue to be inspired, motivated, educated and entertained by your talents. Thank you for your willingness to share with the rest of us for the good of the hobby!!!
I couldn’t agree more with your opinions on websites. I don’t know if you have had a chance to visit my brand new MA&G one yet or not, but I think you would find the balance that you eluded to earlier…tons of photos (over 100) with enough “meaty” captions to equal several magazine articles. I also have extensive video footage of my entire second level with music and captions as well as a link to your Siskiyou website. Having 10 Gigs of space has now allowed me to have all of the features I was wanting (my first one only had 10MB). It also allowed to finally be a “dot com”.
I would be honored to have my link appear on your site as well. In the first three weeks I have had over 5000 hits - a far cry from your 100,000 - but a good start just the same. The feedback has been overwhelming and world-wide!!! I hope you will have a chance to check it out!
Congrats again on turning 100,000 - you don’t look a day over 80,000! [:D]
Can’t wait for your next DVD - I’ve already subscribed to the entire series!!
Joe, in the spirit of providing good natured feedback, I do find the menus on your web site to be a little cumbersome to use. For example, the main page top menus seem to respond very slowly to being pointed at. You have to hold the pointer over them before the sub choices appear and then it seems it takes a couple of seconds for the sub choice to highlight before it can be selected. I find myself trying to move thru the site much faster than it will let me go. Anyway, the content is fantastic, I just find this aspect detracts a little from the experience.
Yes, I’ve admired your modeling for a while … and your signature images have been knock-your-socks-off level!
Your website is great, and I would be honored to add a link to it from my site, and I would be thrilled to have you link to my site.
Your videos look most impressive and show off your top level modeling skills very well.
Some questions:
how did you light the video, anything special, or did you just use the layout lighting?
is the loco sound from the loco or is it dubbed?
My only comment on the videos is I’d like to see some commentary, voice over narration, or some more on-screen text telling me more about what I’m seeing. The videos and modeling are fantastic – don’t get me wrong – but like still images without captions, the videos are missing some meat …
I’m spoiled since we use professional video software to do the Siskiyou Line videos, so maybe I’m expecting too much from consumer video editing products, so take my suggestion with a grain of salt.
I’m working on a completely revamped version of the Siiskyou Line site … would you like a preview? I’d be very interested in finding out if the new menu programming works any better than the current one.
Email me off list if you’d like to preview the new site for me.
I just used the layout lighting which consists of 14 four-foot double fluorescent light fixtures in the layout room. The sound is from the locomotive itself. It’s a Proto 2000 0-8-0 with factory sound. I have three of them and they are my absolute best running engines. The sound and synchronization is unbelievable, as the videos show.
Funny you should mention narration…believe it or not, I have already purchased a PC microphone with the intent of adding voice commentaries to the videos. I also plan on adding some video how-to segments at some point in the future. My website is definitely a work in progress. Of course a new photo album will be added to document progress on the third level which should begin this summer
I’ll be glad to e-mail you a MA&G logo if you would like to use it for a link. Just let me know.
Thanks for your comments - please sign my guest book if you get a chance!
And you are also one of the main reasons I’m in this hobby. When I look at things you do I realize that I can do it too, if I really want and with lots of practise. That makes everything very exciting. I have all your DVD’s and I’m going to buy the scenery volume as well. Please tell me that it’s ready to be shipped [:D]
