TrainsMag.com Reader Poll – February 9, 2004

[pat390]

I guess it depends on how many people the cam can suport now and how many it will be able to support if it gets a speed increase.

[Anonymous]

How about a web-cam of a freight yard? Or the tracks leading in and out of Chicago Union Station with lots of train movement?

[Anonymous]

Any chance of getting a tele-photo lens to get a closer look at the diamonds, and also that spur track on the left?

[Anonymous]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I'd like to switch to 1.5 seconds... I watch my granddaughter at the end of the platform... and it would just be more fun to see her with the frames being closer together. I know, that's a selfish reason, but I'm still allowed to vote! :) [:D] [:I]

[Anonymous]

HOW ABOUT A WEB CAM SET UP AT THE TRAIN STATION AT KIRKWOOD, MISSUORI? THE CITY OF KIRKWOOD NOW OWNS THIS BEAUTIFUL STONE BUILDING THAT'S NEXT TO UNION PACIFIC'S/AMTRAK'S DOUBLE MAIN LINE BETWEEN ST. LOUIS AND KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. GIVE IT A HARD THOUGHT. LOTS OF DAILY TRAINS TO SEE.

[Anonymous]

KISS-KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID FOR THE MOST RAILFANS TOO VIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Bring back the Ft. Madison webcam, I enjoyed it more than the Rochelle Webcam.

kenfromtn

[Anonymous]

keep it the way it is, but add a few more cams. metuchen n.j on the old penn. main line, shaffers crossing,roanoke, va., cajon pass

[mholzapfel]

Keep the time the same but as some others have suggested, how about sound, signals so we know what track the next train is on and how about some other webcams also. It is good as it stands but these things might improve it.

[Anonymous]

I feel that you should leave it as it is, so that a lot of people can enjoy. watching.
I have even been to the location, and it is a great location. I agree with someone else which stated, there should be more webcams in other locations.

[WmRBerg]

I don't know what the buget is for our imaginary improvement of the camera speed question, but I did have another idea. How about moving the camera location back a little to match the location shown on the Rochelle Railroad Park Gift Shop website. (click on the icon labeled Railroad Park Gift Shop below the "recent images" icon on the webcam website). This would create more time to see the images as they pass by the camera, and would lessen the jerky motion effect the camera currently has at it's current speed. And, as an added feature, when trains aren't present, the activity at the park would be something to look at while we are waiting for trains to go by. Granted, a thought without budget, but as long as we are dreaming....

[Anonymous]

I have been signed up for the T rains Newsletter for a long time now I get a message
to log on when there is no place to logon. It seems the format has been changed.
I just want to read the the News Wire, Please.
Thank you.
sis _hats

[Anonymous]

Leave it as it is! More of us can enjoy it!

[theswitchman]

No changes necessary at Rochelle. As to other webcams, once upon a time I found one at the station in San Bernardino, CA, I think... I have long since lost that address.

[Anonymous]

Tack 9 is doing fine.

[PaulDannenberg]

Better still go to Rochelle ,I did ,it's an exceptional place ! You'll get reality that no webcam , cinema sound or anything can try to emulate.

[tsched]

You should approach the folks at the Amtrak Station in Vancouver, Washington. This building sits in the middle of the wye connecting the east/west BNSF with north-south BNSF. BNSF, UP, Amtrak. It's a wonderful show. Point the camera towards the Columbia River Bridge, or to the north. Seems like the cameras could be mounted right on the station. Check it out.

[ardilla]

Down from Santiago Chile I must admit I do enjoy Rochelle webcam as much as I can.

Leave it just as it is, do not frustrate by cutting the time in half. Sometimes I try to enjoy counting the number of cars a train has and suddenly it just stops.

When you are able to do it doubling the speed an doubling the viewrs, then proceed but do not cut us the pleasure of seening trains from one side to another.

By the way, is there a switch line from noth west to south west lines. If there is, I vhave not had a chance to see a train either way.

alfredo

[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

In all fairness, there's no free lunch. Unless you live along side a main or branch line, a webcam like Rochelle is a window to a mainline most of us otherwise wouldn't be able to enjoy. Loosing half our viewers to slight improvments in recapture speed dosn't sound like a positive choice. At the current speed, I can still see what's going on.

I do wonder, however, how many would consider a minimal subscription fee to offset costs that should be able to include all the mentioned wish list items like signal indications, scanner traffic and real sound and update frame speed. I'd be willing to put a little moo-la in the pot for that...

[Anonymous]

I enjoy the webcam and have for months, but I think improvement is neccessary and inevitable, both in stream rate and size of image. Do whatever it takes to bring us the viewers (and consumers of products advertised on this site) the absolute best webcam of any kind, anywhere. Also...expand viewer accessability. I'm sure that where there's a wll, there's a way. This mumbo jumbo about bandwidths and so-on is just a cop out.

[Anonymous]

Hi Trains... Just had my first visit to Rochelle, Ill. and would not have even known about the place had it not been for your webcam. Keep it the way it is! The more viewers the better. I spent money in town on food and gas and really enjoyed the park!

Anyone in Wellsboro, Indiana... that would be a hot spot to set up a railfan park and webcam, too!

[Anonymous]

Keep it the way it is. Now! if only we had scanner availability.

[Modelcar]

...I suppose my opinion now is leave the speed of the cam as is so more can watch. On the size of the picture: The question I would put forward....Why can't it be transmitted larger...? Some other cams, at least in the past {I haven't looked lately}, broadcast a much larger picture...Is that possible with this one on available band width, equipment, etc....That would be a vast improvement.

[Anonymous]

i like your website.it's the best website about trians.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AC6000CW]

EVERY THING IS GOOD ON THE WEB CAM BUT THEY CAN BOOST UP THE FRAME RATE.[8D] IT WOULD BE COOL IF THEY COULD ADD NIGHT VISION TO WATCH TRAINS AT NIGHT TIME[?]

[Jordan6]

I have always found it to be a really fast webcam. Didn't know you could make it refresh faster. I think it's fine as is.

[kolechovski]

When the trains come, you usually need those 3 seconds anyway just to look at what you've got. It would be even worse to cut the number of people watching it in 1/2. Leave it as it is. Also...

Dennis Held's comment: "I already made a comment about giving the most people the chance to watch. But, I've always wanted to comment about the view of the webcam. What are the odds of getting some trees cut down on the left side of the view so we can see Global III?? Or knock down some houses on the right side to give a clear view of the BNSF approach?? I'm just kidding here. But...."
-funny, and a very nice thought. At least they could knock down some of those trees on the left

[Anonymous]

Everything is just fine the way it is.

[Anonymous]

I'm not here to spend other peoples $$ but some of these ideas (bigger picture, sound, faster speed) etc require funds to be spent. I don't want to straddle the fence here but I like the cam the way it is, but also see roads to improvement. If it doesn't break some sort of law, why not do a 'fund-raiser; that would acquire $$ for some of the improvements suggested? The amount of $$ acquired would depend on the number of improvements made. Just a thought.

[bcammack]

Give us a link below the standard image that will open a page with the window resized to twice it's current height and width. Yes, it will be grainy, but I'm half-blind and I can't make things out with the current image size. This would have ZERO impact on bandwidth or anything else. It's just a matter of copying the current page and editing the HTML for it to double the window size. Consider it "accomodating the disabled" or something similar.