Well hey, everyone, after a week of work here's my prototype for our Amtrak 'station information' website. Note that this won't be the final web address; I'm just using my school's general storage to set up the site for the time being. We'll find a new home for it before it goes live to everyone.
Notes: Overall I think it's a pretty clean design, but I definitely need feedback on, well, everything there. One station information page is done, and that would be Chicago, IL, since I live here and happen to know the most about it. Take a look at the Chicago page; you can get to it by going to 'Stations' on the side bar, then picking either 'C' or 'Illinois' and then going to 'Chicago.' If you've ever been to www.texaseagle.com, you'll see that the layout is mostly modeled after that excellent site, with a few modifications. I think it works and I think it's pretty easy to read and get around, but let me know if you differ on that opinion.
Remember that I am FULLY intending on this being a community-run website (though that doesn't mean you have to work on it if you don't want to... it just means that I will need help and I am totally open to feedback). So anything and everything that anyone and everyone wants to say about it, reply to this post or email me at David-Breisch@augustana.edu. I want to hear it. Some specific points I would like some feedback on if you have time to ponder them:
1) We need a name! Amtrak Archive? Amtrak Resources? Amtrak Station Information? Any other ideas? Post your ideas and then maybe we can vote or something.
2) The station info categories (Hours, Trains, Parking, etc...). Can you think of any other categories we need? Or are some of them superfluous and do we need to cut back?
3) Welcome page and the intro text... what other info might we need to put on the first page that people see when they enter the site?
4) What do you think of the navigation bar? It's simple, but functional, I think. Ultimately I will probably add outside links to Amtrak's site (links to Reservations, Train Status, etc...), but what other links do you think we need on the navbar?
Thanks for your help, everyone... let me know what you think!
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
David, A big task in front of you! Youthful enthusiasm!! Is it ok to use Amtrak colors and logo if it isn't an official site?
One thought, is it possible to combine the arr. dep. of the various trains so that the list isn't so long? In other words, Hiawatha would have only one line vs. two - more horizontal and less vertical?
Posted by Grandma Judy (Member # 3278) on :
I think this is a great idea. I'd be glad to contribute information about the stations I know best when you're ready to receive it.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
Wow, that's a great start, and you've done it so quickly!
One concern, I see you have a disclaimer at the bottom, but it really looks too close to the official Amtrak site for comfort. I suggest you adopt your own color scheme to avoid confusion.
As for the name, how about the American Train Station Directory. I might leave Amtrak out of the title, since not all train stations are Amtrak stations (Caltrain, for example).
Also, and this is merely my suggestion, you might consider making the site look less commercial, and more down to earth. Perhaps adding a few insider's comments such as condition of the rest rooms, quality of the neighborhood, historical/architecural information, etc. These are not the sort of things that marketing departments like to do, but they are the sort of things travelers want to know. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.
One final bit of advice, when you build web pages, it is a good idea to test them at different screen resolutions to see how it will appear to different people. Your page doesn't quite fit at 800x600.
Let me know when you'd like Salinas/Monterey information. I can give you the basics off the top of my head. Some details may require a trip to Salinas. Are you interested in posting photos? I have those, too.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Great idea! I too will be happy to give info on some stations I know when you are up and running.
Here are my suggestions for what else to include in station listings (forgive me if I missed something you already have):
Near the top of the station listing, indicate the time zone.
For larger stations, it would be helpful if there were information about best doors to enter (if relevant), waiting room facilities (including any special facilities for first-class passengers), locations of elevators and escalators, info on red cap service and how to get it, and locations of rest rooms. Don't know if you have room for all this, though!
The hotel information would be even more useful if it had some information on price; also, if the 10 closest to the station are all very high priced (or, conversely, all very dumpy), you may need to expand your area to give a range more useful to more people. Maybe you can rate hotels $ for budget, $$ for moderate, and $$$ for luxury?
It would be helpful if there were dining information for outside the station as well as in. Again, you can rate $, $$, and $$$. Also, for outside the station, you would need something about the hours; for instance, is a place open Sundays?
You may want to include some info on nearby attractions, esp at stations where people often change trains and have layovers. Where relevant, historic or architectural info on the train station can also be interesting.
It might be useful to have a spot for different people's to post their comments and tips.
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
It's a perfectly useful idea. But think seriously about scaling everything back. Make the whole concept slightly less ambitious. With all those lists of hours and phone numbers, you're going to find it impossible (even with help) to keep the information up-to-date. A web site filled with old or inaccurate information is worse for travelers than no web site at all.
Regarding the logos (Amtrak, hotel chains, car rental companies, etc):
Get rid of them all, or you'll soon have a small army of copyright lawyers banging on your proverbial door. Corporations hire them to search for logo and trademark infringement, and non-commercial web sites aren't immune. If your site can be located via a search engine, the "cease and desist or we'll sue you" letters will surely follow. It's how lawyers rack up more billable hours. And big companies really do sue.
Posted by Boyce (Member # 2719) on :
Wow! I am impressed. There is a site that has pictures of all of the Amtrak stations in the nation, I dont have it but surely other railfans do. This would be very useful in letting travelers know what shape a certain station is in and what amenities, if any, to expect. I have to agree with dilly, change colors and get rid of the Amtrak logo. After all it isnt their official site but any reference to passenger trains means Amtrak.
Posted by RamblinBuzz (Member # 3683) on :
Wow, what a great start!! This is great idea. You'd think Amtrak would have something like this. It certainly encourages people to travel by rail, when they can see info about a given station, etc. You never know if you'll arrive at something like Union Station in Chicago with 500 parking spaces, etc or Atlanta that has 5. There are numerous bits of info that can be so helpful.
This is a HUGE task and I wish you the best in your efforts. It will be appreciated by many!!
Look forward to updates on the progress.
Posted by CoastStarlight99 (Member # 2734) on :
wow, nice!
Posted by TheBriz09 (Member # 3166) on :
Thanks, everyone, thanks for the encouragement and feedback! I'm not going to have a chance to change the graphics and stuff along the top until I get my hands on a copy of Photoshop, which won't happen for another week or so... but I will keep your comments in mind.
I will definitely add topics like sojourner suggested... great ideas. Mr. Toy, you are right about the down to earth thing. I'm a tad confused, are you talking about the general look of the whole site, or just the content? Would sojourner's suggested topics get more towards what you're talking about? Some more specific comments would be appreciated, if you get a chance.
So... about the logos... that is my biggest matter of concern, really. I admit that I am a bit naive about matters such as this, but who runs the Texas Eagle site? And how do they manage it legally? I doubt that they have asked permission of every hotel chain and such listed in the directory, but I could be mistaken. I don't really know what to do about those... just drop them altogether?
And yes, it's a monumental effort... maybe the phone numbers are a bit much. I really want to keep the list of train arrival and departure times, those, I think those are useful.
Changes will come slower than the initial site, but I will work on them. And I guess I would kind of like to get a feel for the kind of help that people would be willing to help - aside from info contributors. Anyone have web expertise and would be willing to help build pages? And... I would love to get some help coordinating the whole effort. Right now there isn't too much to do, but once we start getting contributions I would really appreciate someone who could keep in contact with me in updating pages and such. Wouldn't necessarily require web knowledge. Anyone? Anyone?
Again, all, thanks for the encouragement and feedback. I think it could grow into a really great thing if we all pitch in together on it.
Posted by Mr. Toy (Member # 311) on :
quote:Originally posted by TheBriz09: Mr. Toy, you are right about the down to earth thing. I'm a tad confused, are you talking about the general look of the whole site, or just the content? Would sojourner's suggested topics get more towards what you're talking about?
Yeah, I was a little vague. By down to Earth, try to let the personalities of you and your contributors come through. Spit and polish formality gets tiresome after awhile. It is more fun for the readers, and the webmaster, to inject some humor, and add a few little quirks that make a site stand out, and be more interesting. Little surprises on each page make exploring a site an adventure, rather than mere data collection. Its sort of like the way Amtrak lets its employees be themselves, rather than resorting to those phony friendliness formulas that so many corporations resort to.
To that end, give your contributors a basic format to fill out, but give them some leeway in how they present it. Let them use their own words to describe the station, and encourage them to express their opinions, in a friendly manner, rather than just provide cold data.
I have an unofficial visitors guide to Monterey in my website that might give you an idea of what I mean. see: http://hometown.aol.com/toylandmry/mryintro.htm Take a look at the "Getting Here" page where I include comments on the scenery along with driving directions. Or the "Where should we stay?" page, which describes the good and bad points of various neighborhoods.
Sojourner had some very good ideas, but I'd stay away from quoting prices or train schedules, since they can change frequently. It would be a nightmare trying to keep up. On my website I avoid giving information on variable items like that, thus I only have to make updates when something significant changes. Just provide links to schedules, restaurants, etc.
You've taken on a lot, but with everyone's help, it should be manageable, and fun! To contact me for Salinas material, my e-mail is ToylandMRY@aol.com BTW, you'll also need to start assembling a database of contributors.
Posted by Colt-45 (Member # 3742) on :
Wow that is nice and fast too nice job but i think i like Amtrak pages better the speling is better lol ;-0
Posted by Michael Christiansen (Member # 3604) on :
I like the logos for the various individual companies and think you should keep them. However, maybe they would be better if you added a hotlink to the companies respective websites. Honestly, while not a lawyer, I wouldn't be terribly concerned with any infringement issues. you're not using TM material in a harmful or adverse way, nor are you, currently, profiting from them. Though, I would be concerned with the mimicry of the Amtrak website. I can easily see how someone could confuse your site and the official Amtrak site. -mike
Posted by iowamomofsix (Member # 3695) on :
David,
This is wonderful and exactly what I was looking for. I will be willing to set up a page for the Omaha station. I will, hopefully, be visiting Omaha in a couple weeks and hope to take a tour of the station and train museum there. I think this is a wonderful service. You mentioned you thought the phone numbers were a bit much, but I don't think so. Thanks for your service.
We're hoping to make a trip to Salt Lake in October. I will also be able to provide information for that station and the Helper station as well. That is, if nobody beats me to it, and if they do, it will help me with my trip.
Good work,
Debbie
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Good job, David!! I agree with many of the other posters so far, and I think you SHOULD include the logos of the nearby hotels, etc. I also agrees that your site does look a lot like the official AMTRAK web site, and you should probably put your own color/graphics scheme in. The only other thing I may suggest is to include a local street map of each station, showing where the station is in relation to the surrounding areas -- either that or a link to Map Quest.
I'll be happy to send you some info on Winter Park (FL) and Orlando stations when you are ready -- they are the ones I know the best around here. I don't know that much about the Kissimmee or Sanford stations (the next closest stations to me).
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
One thing you might consider, Amtrak has a basic page for each of their stations including ticket office hours (for those that still sell tickets). Maybe you would want to consider linking each of your station sites to the corresponding Amtrak site for that information.
We're mainly looking for the kind of information you can't get at the Amtrak site.......is there good public transportation to the airport? Is the train station decent or a dump, are you taking your life into your hands if you walk across the street outside the train station after dark, etc.
You're making a wonderful start. When you're ready I can provide information on any of the Crescent stations from Atlanta to Lynchburg as well as any station in North Carolina.
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Great Idea,
I hope you will be able to have space for Photo's of the Stations. I am a fan of Railroad Stations built from 1890 thru the 1920's. Many of these stations are still in use today saved from the wrecking ball by Landmark Preservation Societies. Some of these structures have been renovated for public use even though the trains no longer stop there. Cities such as Pittsburgh and Providence have moved their Amtrak and commuter lines to smaller stations while turning the old stations into restaurants and shops, Other cities such as Richmond and Wooster Ma have returned Rail service to these Great Buildings.
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Like the concept, for a title idea how about "STATION MASTER." However I think that a simple link to the AMTRAK site would access much of the basic station information, times,routes,hours. I think a picture section and perhaps a brief history of the station and points of interests and travel links for the area. If you add a photo section I would be glad to send some NorthEast corridor station photo's.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Tanner - here is a great Web site that already has photos of all the AMTRAK stations:
To The Briz - maybe your page should have a link to this page from each station entry.
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
RRRICH,
I have been to this site http://snow.prohosting.com/usarail/index.html This would be an excellent add to The Briz's site. This would be a good start to add many of the links Briz started on his site. I will try to get some pics of the Northeast corridor stations.