posted
Original web link deleted by me. See below.
Richard
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
posted
Ugh, tripod.com, home of pop-up adverts and questionable ethics in terms of grabbing whatever the security settings allow on your PC. Not railfanlocation's fault.
Good idea but needs moving to a professional web host.
(Sorry Richard)
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
I agree, Geoff, too many pop-ups and very annoying. I deleted the original link. As an alternative:
It gives, primarily, hotels and motels near train watching spots. It does show such throughout the US, while the other link was mainly for sites in the central and eastern part of the country.
Richard
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
posted
I also noticed the "USA Rail Guide", also known as "the pictures of every Amtrak station in the US by the Japanese guy", is now showing up as an attack site on my pc. Has anyone else noticed this? There is a link to this on trainweb (very obscure).
I would be curious if you Apple users can access this safely.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
posted
Thanks Richard, yes that's much better - both in terms of malware and a more comprehensive site!
TSR - yes, comes up as an attack site for me. I get this: Of the 2 pages we tested on the site over the past 90 days, 1 page(s) resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. The last time Google visited this site was on 2014-06-28, and the last time suspicious content was found on this site was on 2014-06-24.
Malicious software includes 6 trojan(s).
Malicious software is hosted on 1 domain(s), including trughtsa.com/.
This site was hosted on 1 network(s) including AS10316 (CODERO-AS).
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
I don't know why TRAINS would disclose a website with so many problems with pop-ups, etc.
The original article did make mention of the Rochelle Railroad Park, in Rochelle, Illinois. It is, apparently, the first park devoted to train spotting and train photos. It has up to 90 trains passing, daily, according to the article.
quote:Originally posted by TwinStarRocket: I also noticed the "USA Rail Guide", also known as "the pictures of every Amtrak station in the US by the Japanese guy", is now showing up as an attack site on my pc. Has anyone else noticed this? There is a link to this on trainweb (very obscure).
I would be curious if you Apple users can access this safely.
******************************** I clicked on your link, TwinStar, and did not have any problem....my computer wasn't attacked. I have a PC with Windows 7.
Richard
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
posted
quote:Originally posted by yukon11: I don't know why TRAINS would disclose a website with so many problems with pop-ups, etc.
IIRC Don Philips was the one credited with the article with the link in. His reportage of things European while he was stationed in Paris was dubious to say the least. One wondered whether he'd actually been to the places he wrote stories about, so out of touch with reality that the stories were. I've also seen some "Exclusive!" stories on the Newswire which had previously been reported by mainstream media. My subscription is up and I'm seriously wondering whether to renew.
That said, I did meet a couple of the staff at a rail event a couple of years ago and they were very nice and genuine people to chat to.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
posted
Richard, I am also on a windows 7 pc using Firefox and got the same message from Google that Geoff did. I tried going in using Chrome browser and got a similar "unsafe" message from a different anti-malware vendor I use. I really enjoy this website but I'm not willing to chance a virus by proceeding. My service provider is Comcast.
Back on topic, here in St. Paul there is now a "railfan park and picnic area" at Union Depot. Most the action is quite distant on the BNSF mainline about a half mile east of the depot building. Parking is pricey in the area.
posted
The "USA Rail Guide" still works fine on my Windows XP computer. No messages such as some of you have received.
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
quote:Originally posted by TwinStarRocket: Richard, I am also on a windows 7 pc using Firefox and got the same message from Google that Geoff did. I tried going in using Chrome browser and got a similar "unsafe" message from a different anti-malware vendor I use. I really enjoy this website but I'm not willing to chance a virus by proceeding. My service provider is Comcast.
Back on topic, here in St. Paul there is now a "railfan park and picnic area" at Union Depot. Most the action is quite distant on the BNSF mainline about a half mile east of the depot building. Parking is pricey in the area.
******************************************* That's interesting. I liked watching the 2 little boys, on a bench, watching the train go by. Too bad, as you say, the area wasn't a bit closer to the tracks and a little higher off ground. Maybe they could build a little gazebo such as the one at Rochelle, ILL.
The next railfan park could be at Williston, ND. Plenty of train action, there.
Richard
Moderator Member # 2933
posted
An update
Yoshi Shinoda, author of the USA Rail Guide web site, along with Steve Grande and Shivam are working to locate and remove the affected files.
Thanks for making note of this on the forum.
Laurie
chrisg Member # 2488
posted
The Chris Guenzler Million Mile Lookout Point sits above the old Santa Fe mainline on the old Wabash grade and is free to use in La Plata. It has bathrooms, free wi-fi and electrical power inside. Chairs are out on the deck. Great location to watch trains.
Chris
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
posted
Thank you, Laurie!
I look forward to enjoying my cost free virtual train rides again. When I was a kid in the '50s I used to dig into my box of timetables at bedtime and see where I would be in my roomette at that moment, and where I would wake up in the morning on various routes. The next morning I would fill in my accomplished train routes on my outline US map in appropriate colors (orange = Great Northern, green = Northern Pacific, yellow = UP, etc.). I think I was about six at the time. I know, nerd/foamer in progress.
Later as an adult, I would often check out train stations when I explored a town. They seemed to tell you so much about the character of a town and the railroad that served it.
Thank you, Mr. Shinoda for my alternative to Xbox and Twitter.
palmland Member # 4344
posted
Thanks Laurie for checking in on us and providing assistance, as always.
TSR- my TT collection started after a trip on the FEC from Wilmington, DE. Bet the N&W got a chuckle when they got my letter as an 11 year old asking for timetables. But they sent me several old ones from the 40's!
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
Also, thank you Laurie for your help.
TwinStar: Your post reminds me of something I've been trying to come across for quite a while.
I like your account of drawing color routes for the various old passenger trains.
I have posted this before, but I am on a constant lookout for some sort of wall map showing the famous old passenger train routes, color-coded. Old routes such as the Broadway Limited, Great Northern, Santa Fe, Shasta Daylight, Northern Pacific, etc.
The website <www.railfandepot> does have atlas material of the great old passenger train routes, but divided up into sections. What I'm looking for is a wall map of the entire US with the old passenger routes graphically and colorfully depicted.
Ever hear of such a map?
Richard
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
posted
I used to have a USA rail wall map, probably about 4'x3'. However, all the lines were in one color (red IIRC) but it sufficed for me in my mid 20s to highlight Amtrak routes that I'd taken - bear in mind I lived in the UK at the time, so covering tha majority of the LD routes was an accomplishment!
I have come across this which might be of interest, if not meeting all the requirements.
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
Thanks, Geoff, for the link.
Richard
Moderator Member # 2933
posted
This link was sent to me as a possible source for a wall map. Not sure if it's what you're looking for.
posted
Thanks, Laurie. I think I will look into the custom maps that they might offer and see what the cost would be.
Richard
RRRICH Member # 1418
posted
Richard -- I get a periodical catalog every couple months called "Historic Rail" -- I usually throw them out, so I don't have a web address for them at the moment, but they often feature such maps, as well as a wide variety of large colored railroad prints, old RR signs,lanterns,etc., plus even model RR cars and locos, for various railroads, past and present. You may want to google "Historic Rail" and find these catalogs.
yukon11 Member # 2997
posted
Thanks for the info, Rich.
I do get the Historic Rail flyer catalog in the mail. I also checked out their website and found this map:
It is somewhat the type of map I'm interested in, but it doesn't quite have the overall colorful graphics and color coded train reference that I'm looking for. However, it's on the right track. As the cost is not high, I think I might go ahead and get one.
posted