HogTrainz New Website coming 5/9, Maersk Cease and Desist Order, MT Supply Chain

[peteski]

I am saying it now: I am happy to do some free consulting for pretty much any model railroad business around web usability, CMS setup, etc... I do this for a living and I'm willing to put some time in to help the industry I enjoy do better with it.

Great, you say it here, but does Paul know that free services are available to him?  I doubt it.  This way nothing will happen.    If you really want to help, why not email or even call Paul, and offer your services to him (providing your credentials)?

[ljudice]

the time for consulting is long past.  it looks like they have a pro engaged and wisely dumped the prehistoric dreamweaver site for wordpress/cms - so give it a chance now....

btw, personally I'm opposed to doing anything professional for free - even non profits should do something in return as in promotions or endorsements.

that said i often ignore my own advice learning many times that good deeds never go unpunished.

[CBQ Fan]

I have noticed several links and photos are incorrect.

[learmoia]

Speaking as a recent shopper.... it seems like a fresh coat of paint on the same old website.
I'm sure there is more work to do.. Like the mfg logos across the top just link to the logo image itself.. vs liking to a product page for that mfg.

Here is the most frustrating thing from my experience.
I go to the site.. I want Trainworx stuff..

I see N scale Locomotives then Mfg list.
.. ok.. where is N scale Freight Cars?... (nothing)..

Ok.. there is a search bar... "Trainworx Flexi-van"
Flexivan Trailers > Gives me Flexi-Van Flats..
Goes back.. review resutls.
1: Flexi-Van Trailers (Description: ..... Flexi-Van Mark III and Mark IV......)  He forgot to change the page title..
2: unrelated
3: unrelated
4: Flexi-Van Trailers (Descriptions: 40' Flexi-Van Trailer)... Oooooh.. ok.

GO to Trailer site.
Ok.. Add Add Add.. Wait I want to go back to Flats.. isn't there a link to the flat cars here?.. nope.... Back..
Serach Results.. Flexi-Van... Walthers.. Walthers.. Crap..
Search Results.. Trainworx Flexi-Van.. Trailers..
Click the wrong 'Flexi-Van Trailers' and end up back at Trailers.
Back.. look for the right link.. then get to flats..

EVEN WITH THE OLD SITE.. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THAT DIFFICULT!..

Left side of the page.. he needs to take a Queue from Pete's site.
N scale Locomotives
N Scale Rolling Stock
N scale Track
N scale Other

HO scale Locomotives
HO Scale Rolling Stock
HO scale Track
HO scale Other

G scale Locomotives
G Scale Rolling Stock
G scale Track
G scale Other

Click each link to get to a MFG List, click the MFG to get to the product page, and so on.

[OldEastRR]

I just see he's got a new one, haven't checked out any of it yet. I'll wait till some other people get snarled up in any bugs first.

[CBQ Fan]

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54041.msg741564;topicseen#top

[peteski]

Since they are brothers, and in the same business, to me it would have made sense to just take over BLW website (keeping the name, or changing it to Hogs).  Most of the busy work was already done.  But I'm sure someone like Ed will come up with hundreds of reasons why that wouldn't work. In today's world the KISS principle no longer works.

[learmoia]

Trying to maintain 2 websites definitely isn't KISS..

Actually I was incorrect on how Pete's site was laid out.. in fact it's fairly similar to HogTrainz
https://brooklynlocomotiveworks.com/

Locomotives only on the left side.

However.. once you click on the 'New Stuff' Link, it takes you to a new left side menu..

Since the BLW site NEVER changed in format.. I always went to the site, then New Stuff, then used 'THAT' left menu to get where I wanted.

I think the reason I (we) dislike HogTrainz site.. is it's 'different' from Pete's.. even though its almost exactly the same.. except for the pesky HO items..

~Ian

[CBQ Fan]

Since they are brothers, and in the same business, to me it would have made sense to just take over BLW website (keeping the name, or changing it to Hogs).  Most of the busy work was already done.  But I'm sure someone like Ed will come up with hundreds of reasons why that wouldn't work. In today's world the KISS principle no longer works.

It seems to me like Pete is using his own website to clear out his old inventory and sell off his own collection. I can only imagine what a hobby shop owner would collect over the years simply because they could. I could also see why Paul would not want to mess with that.

[haasmarc]

I agree that the Hogtrainz site is not the best laid out website.  It looks like clicking on the Site Directory link that brings up a list of all the pages is the quickest way to find what you want.

[ljudice]

the good news is - its built in wordpress which is very easy to reorganize...

[mecgp7]

Geez, the site is worse than the last one. Can't do a thing with it. I get no search bar or anything. Using Android is that the problem? The only thing that works is the "what's new" and "hot deals".

[Ed Kapuscinski]

the good news is - its built in wordpress which is very easy to reorganize...

The bad news is also... it's built in Wordpress which is very easy to recognize 

[ljudice]

The bad news is also... it's built in Wordpress which is very easy to recognize 

 

[JMaurer1]

Maybe a SLIGHT improvement over the old site, but only a slight one...