When steamlocomotive.info started, back in the dark ages (2002), we thought it would be neat to include video clips of operating locomotives. The technology available then wasn't great, and we tried several avenues and not much came of it, except for a feature that my granddaughter (at least) liked. Anyhow...after moving steamlocomotive.info to its new host, I decided to revisit the video clip issue, and have come up with a possible (maybe even useful) replacement.

It is quite possible to embed one or more youtube videos into web pages. There's no cost associated with this and the bandwidth used when the video is served is YouTube's not yours. I think it even looks kinda neat. If you'd be so kind as to look at:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomo ... splay=1422

And click the video button at the bottom of the page. There are three videos of the 261 and each can be started separately by clicking the respective start button. I'd appreciate your comments and or suggestions.

If this could be done (it can) for a very large number of locomotives would you find it useful/worthwhile?

Comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Looks pretty nice to me! I've posted a couple of Frisco 1522 videos to Youtube that you're free to use.

I don't even see why this is a question... Just do it!

Video is becoming more and more popular, the quality gets better every day, there's nothing like seeing steam in action, and best of all, you don't have to pay for the bandwidth, which is the big problem of video.

What's the downside? Have I overlooked something?

I've incorporated the youtube embedding technology into all of my forums and it's pretty popular.

One question to consider:

How permanent--or not--are the videos to which you link?

Nobody seems to be expecting YouTube to become history or die anytime soon (but see AOL chat rooms or Friendster....), but if YouTube starts deleting videos that get fewer than 200 views in six months or something, well...........

Yup, in this day and age, that's the way to do that thing. Let YouTube host it, no worries no hassle.

The reason to host your own videos are several:

* You don't want any chance of your visitor hopping away to the site hosting your videos.
* Something to do with ad revenue.
* You think hosting it yourself gives you content control (yeah right)
* You're a fastidious web designer who doesn't like that YouTube might change the style/layout at any time
* You don't want to deal with bad comments, nor catch heat for not allowing comments
* You like paying bandwidth costs
* You don't ever want to see "This content was removed because of a copyright claim from BMG, Inc."

But these are all small reasons.

P.S. As to Alexander's concern, keep your own work originals! The Youtube copy is just not quality enough to edit later.

* You only want your buddies to see your video and don't care about exposure to audiences and demographics outside the norm of your website

I think it's a great idea. On the Preserved Electric Cars site we went with a similar, but lower-tech, solution, which is simply to include links to YouTube (or other site) videos. The obvious disadvantage is that this means periodically going through the links to ferret out the expired ones, but overall it works quite well. And having video links can be a real help in communicating the real appearance - and appeal - of a piece of equipment, all the more so if it's an operating steam engine.

Kudos and thanks for all the work you do with steamlocomotive.info!

You can do that on YouTube actually. When you upload, you check a box saying "Don't publish" and it doesn't plug it into the search engine. The only people who can see it are those who already know the URL.

I do that whenever someone sends me a video in a format my machine can't read. (emailing videos as attachments, why? why? why?) Pop it up to Youtube, they handle the conversion.

I've posted several videos on You Tube also. Of course, they are previews of some of our DVDs and most cover more than one specific locomotive. But people do import the previews or links to them all the time. Currently, the subjects include Reading passenger steam, Norfolk & Western steam, New York Central steam, Nickel Plate steam, Dick Jensen's GTW 5629, steam in Poland, SP Steam, German steam, and our Glory Machines titles which have many railroads in them. Also, a few steamboats such as the Delta Queen and the Belle of Louisville. More will be added in the future.

If any work for you, go get 'em! The only request I have is that you let people know what shows they are from and a include link to our web site www.herronrail.com

You can find them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/hrvideo?feature=mhum

-Jim Herron

I'd be more than happy to do this. We're modifying the programming for the video display page so that it can show up to a three line caption, a link, and a logo for the production company. I'll have it ready to show ya tomorow.