FAQ

Rail Pixels is a new angle on the newest Internet sensation, Alex Tew's The Million Dollar Homepage and pixel advertising but focusing only on anything to do with rail or trains.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Got a question not answered here? Please get in touch.

1. What is the idea?
2. Who are you?
3. Why should I buy your pixels?
4. Why can't I buy one single pixel?
5. How long will the site be online?
6. If you're from the UK, why are you selling pixels in dollars?
7. Are you worried about copy-cats/rip-offs?
8. Can I put a count of your pixel sales on my site/blog?

1. What is the idea?

Like many others, we were bowled over by 'The Million Dollar Homepage. Our first thought was "very clever, wish we had thought of this"! Then we wondered whether the concept or something similar would work in the rail sector. We had been working on ways to drive traffic to The Rail Mall www.therailmall.com. One answer is to turn The Million Dollar Homepage idea from catch-all targeting to a pixel marketing site for the rail industry, and aim to be The Million Visitor Homepage in 5 years.

Imitation is considered the sincerest form of flattery; to use something original as a foundation for development seems yet more sincere.

We felt that although Alex Tew's brilliant idea has achieved its purpose - to pay off his student debt plus a great deal more - interest would wane and click throughs diminish quickly in the coming months. However the structure of the page is ideal for those with a particular focus such as rail or trains. For these people, a page populated by thousands of relevant links will have them returning again and again. It seemed an updated version of the classic webring.

Anyone who has a rail-related product or service is welcome to buy pixels on www.railpixels.com (or www.trainpixels.com which is pointed to the same site). The Rail Mall is featured on www.railpixels.com and so benefits from additional click-throughs. We also hope to earn a modest income and promote The Rail Mall & Train Chartering www.trainchartering.com.

Pixels are available in 100-pixel blocks (each 10x10 pixels) for US$10 per block. The homepage is divided into 10,000 100-pixel blocks (i.e. 1,000,000 pixels in total).

You can buy as many pixels as you like, as long as there are some available (see the live stats in the top right corner of the page). When you buy some pixels, you can then display an image/ad/logo of your choice in the space you have purchased. You can also have the image click through to your own website as long as it rail- or train-related and is not offensive, illegal or obscene.

The pixels you buy will be displayed on the homepage permanently. The homepage will not change and will be online for a guaranteed 5 years and possibly very much longer. Rail Pixels' content will ensure that we will get many repeat visits. This makes the outlay astoundingly good value compared with all other forms of web marketing.

We hope that a cost from $10 for a 10x10 block will allow everyone to take part.

2. Who are you?

Rail Pixels comes from The Rail Mall www.therailmall.com, part of the Train Chartering group at www.trainchartering.com.

Train Chartering is the pioneer of a coordinated approach to sourcing, theming and crewing special trains for corporate & private events, film locations & airport or cruise liner transfers. This full service approach is enhanced by ground handling services at stations.

We are enthusiasts for the renaissance of rail. Rail is the least environmentally-damaging of any form of mass passenger transport and is enjoying a revival throughout the world. The travel experience in a train is generally far more enjoyable than air or road options. Freight is better by rail than by road for a lot of reasons. There is more opportunity to increase rail traffic on existing railways or to expand rail networks with less social and ecological impact than similar growth of air or road infrastructure.

You can contact Train Chartering on the following details:

Many thousands of all ages and interests appreciate trains. Many more could be introduced to rail through www.railpixels.com. Rail Pixels provides them with a map with which to stroll through their favourite websites or to discover new rail or train interests.

Rail Pixels embodies our enthusiasm and support for the rail industry.

3. Why should I buy pixels from Rail Pixels?

Because from just US$10, you will have an image and a link to your rail- or train-related site on the homepage of Rail Pixels that will be seen by many thousands for a guaranteed 5 years, and possibly very much longer.

4. Why can't I buy one single pixel?

Because you can't display anything meaningful in one pixel, or click on it easily, so it would be pointless. The page would also look terrible with thousands of random tiny coloured dots.

Anyway, US$10 for the minimum of 100 pixels in a 10x10 block is within everyone's reach.

If for some reason you really want a single pixel, there is always the option of buying a 10x10 block together with friends, family or colleagues.

5. How long will the site be online?

The site will be online for 5 years guaranteed (at least until January 2011), and possibly very much longer.

We like Alex Tew's idea of creating an internet time capsule, in our case a rail-related homepage that is unique and permanent. Rail Pixels is The Million Visitor Homepage for train- & rail-related sites.

6. If you're from the UK, why are you selling the pixels in dollars?

US dollars are the obvious choice for a global universal currency. Offering a multiple choice of currencies is unnecessarily complicated.

7. Are you worried that you are simply copying Alex Tew's idea?

Imitation is considered the sincerest form of flattery; to use the original as a foundation for development seems yet more sincere.

Anyway Alex Tew's brilliant idea for The Million Dollar Homepage has achieved its purpose - to pay off his student debt plus a great deal more. The future for pixel advertising has to be more focused.

We have evolved the original from a catch-all solution to one aimed at the rail sector, similar to a webring - but updated and more graphical.

Others are certainly developing pixellated homepages for other sectors who will make much more money than we will from Rail Pixels!

However we aimed to be the first to introduce a pixellated homepage for the rail sector, and believe that we have succeeded. The railways, The Rail Mall and the rest of the Train Chartering Group will benefit.

8. Can I put a count of your pixel sales on my site/blog?

Certainly! The code is:

This will display as:

The graphic will be updated automatically every time pixels are added to the site!