"There's no better information source than RailServe.com."
- Smart Computing Magazine
RailServe.com is the world's largest and most popular
online rail directory. Acclaimed by newspapers, magazines, books, radio, and numerous online publications; linked to from
more than 50,000 web sites around the world; serving millions of visitors
per year - RailServe.com is the premier source for rail travel,
hobby, and industry.
This page provides an overview of RailServe.com's
mission, history, and founder. For comments, questions, additions, and advertising requests, please
select the proper form in the
Support Section.
Note: RailServe.com is in no way related to Railserve, Inc.,
a provider of contract rail services.
Contents of the "About" Section
-
What's In It For You?
Overview of RailServe.com
-
So Who Exactly Is RailServe.com?
Information
about RailServe.com's Founder
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The Tracks We've Made
Chronological
History
of RailServe.com Development
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RailServe.com Select Media Appearances
Newspaper and Magazine Articles about RailServe.com and its Founder
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RailServe.com Select Book
Appearances
Listing of RailServe.com Features and References Since 1996
What's In It For You?
"If you have room for only one railroad bookmark, you
absolutely must choose RailServe.com." - Sam's Teach Yourself E-Travel
Today, by Mark Orwoll
RailServe.com's mission is simple: provide the leading
worldwide resource for finding rail-related content on the Internet. More than
19,000 quality resources are carefully organized into 180 categories covering all aspects
of rail travel, hobby, and industry. These well-defined categories provide easy
browsing of any rail-related topic, with content covering past and present
railways in more than 125
countries. For more focused queries, RailServe.com's
keyword search technology includes both directory
search and index search options and can suggest specific sites to match your interest.
So Who Exactly Is RailServe.com?
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"The most amazing thing about this award-winning site is that
it was started in 1996 by a 13-year-old boy named Christopher Muller." - The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Planning a Trip Online, by Julia Cardis et al.
RailServe.com is the personal work of Christopher Muller
who began the site in 1996 at age 13. In addition to managing RailServe.com, Chris is also a railroad historian and
photographer. His
photography has appeared in books, magazines, calendars, maps, timetables,
video games, murals, and advertising and is available at
SteamPhotos.com.
Chris graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in information
systems in 2004 and MBA in 2005. His interests include investing, startups, travel, historic
preservation, transportation planning, trail running, hiking, basketball, hockey,
and nature photography. |
The Tracks We've Made
Christopher Muller's Home Page: The Early Years
"If you're new to the Internet and you're looking for
railroad-related Web sites, this is a great place to start." - Model
Railroader Magazine, April 2003
RailServe
entered the World Wide Web on May 10, 1996 by then 13-year-old Christopher Muller.
Chris was new to the Web and had a love for trains and computers. When Chris
first went online he found it challenging to locate rail-related sites, so he
started his own directory of railroad web sites. During its first week online, RailServe
received its first review, from the (now defunct) Program One Radio Network. Before long, Chris was receiving many
new link requests from his visitors and
the directory was rapidly expanding. By September, Chris had turned 14 and
his site listed approximately 700 sites (amazingly complete for 1996!) and was
receiving 100 visits per day. |
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Searching for Time: New Search Technology Takes
Significant Effort
"Don't conduct an involved Web search. Instead, I
recommend first checking with RailServe.com"
- Travel Planning Online for
Dummies, by Noah Vadnai & Julian Smith
On January 2, 1997, RailServe
made the move to a new server and also took on its own domain, RailServe.com. RailServe.com
continued to receive increased traffic and by February was serving about 300
unique visitors per day. With the directory constantly expanding, some RailServe.com
users wanted the option to search by keyword. Chris embarked on the first major
redevelopment of the site since its founding just one year prior. The task
involved programming scripts and re-entering the data for more than 1,000 sites
into a database, but greatly enhanced the site's ease-of-use.
Happy Anniversary!: RailServe.com Receives
Its First Awards
"This is a fascinating site." - AAA Travel Tips
You Can Trust, by Anne McAlpin
By its first anniversary, RailServe.com
was receiving recognition from a variety of sources. The most notable of
these was USA Today's Hot
Site of the Day award which resulted in a surge of visitors when listed at www.usatoday.com on March 26 and then in
the print edition on April 1. Meanwhile, Chris was using his experience from RailServe.com
to begin web design services for local businesses and organizations. His computer knowledge was well known in his school and community and on September 28, 1997, RailServe.com
was published on the front page of the regional "Neighbors" section of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The article included a
narrative of Chris's computer work including the development of RailServe.com.
This would be the first of many major newspaper appearances for RailServe.com.
'98 Goes Out In A Flash: RailServe.com Improves Performance
Worldwide
"From Baku, Azerbaijan to Yokohama, Japan and all stops in
between. Whether you want the timetable for the Taegu line in Korea or route
maps for the Philippines, you'll find it here." - TIME Magazine
As RailServe.com traffic expanded and advertisers
signed-up, speed and reliability was an increased focus. The site was moved to a new server and Chris spent several weeks
writing new software that would significantly enhance RailServe.com's search, advertising,
and user support functions. The layout of the directory/category pages was much improved,
and a new database system allowed for quicker additions and modifications to the
directory. Chris didn't know at the time that these efforts would
provide the foundation for the next decade of growth.
RailServe.com in the 21st Century:
Train Simulator Brings Railfans To The 'Net
"Whatever you are looking for related to the railroad is
likely to be found on this site."
- You Are Here Traveling with
JohnnyJet.com: The Ultimate Internet Travel Guide, by Eric Leebow
PC-based train simulators existed for years, many of them
distributed as freeware known only to a niche market of rail enthusiasts. Then came Microsoft Train Simulator, a program that developed
a notable online presence a full year prior to release. Promising
to include extensive development tools so that users may develop everything from
their own locomotives to their own routes. In June of 2001, Microsoft Train Simulator ("MSTS") was released, and a wealth of freeware add-ons
arrived shortly
after. RailServe.com launched the
Microsoft Train Simulator Add-Ons Site
and began daily updates of a file library and searchable index of all the latest
user creations. The success was phenomenal, as this feature introduced a whole
new audience to the wealth of resources provided at RailServe.com.
Two months after the launch, the Train Simulator section was receiving more than
50,000 views per month.
Full Steam Ahead:
RailServe.com Records One Million Visitors in 2002
"RailServe.com is also useful for digging up rail
information in less traveled regions, such as Africa."
- Internet
Travel Planner, by Michael Shapiro
RailServe.com maintained
steady growth in 2002, indexing more than 7,000 rail sites in total by year
end. For the first year in its history, RailServe.com topped 1,000,000
unique visitors. Search enhancements were
made in 2003 including a new "Index Search" option, making RailServe.com
the first true rail directory and search engine. This new search
method indexed the full text of all resources found in RailServe.com's
directory,
useful for more specific or obscure search terms that may not be included in
titles or descriptions. Like the existing Directory Search, only sites specifically
reviewed and approved for listing at RailServe.com were included, ensuring
quality results.
The (Rail) Road Ahead
"This speedy, comprehensive, and easy to use directory of
rail sites is a vast labour of love."
- The Rough Guide to Travel Online, by
Samantha Cook & Greg Ward
As the scope of Internet resources expands exponentially, there
is an increasing need for specialty web portals that provide high quality content
in well-organized directories. These sites, such as RailServe.com, enable
users to truly browse by topic or interest rather than rely solely on broad Internet
searches.
Today, RailServe.com indexes more than 19,000 websites
spanning 180 categories and serves millions of visitors per year. To reach Chris
with comments or suggestions, please
use the Contact Form.
RailServe.com: "Enough to satisfy any curiosity." - The Jerusalem Post
RailServe.com Select Media Appearances
including RailServe.com founder Christopher Muller
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia, PA
September 27, 1997
Feature on Christopher Muller (Link) |
Bucks County Courier Times
Bucks County, PA
May 10, 2000
Feature on RailServe.com (Link) |
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USA Today
March 26, 1997
"Hot Site of the Day" |
The Wall Street
Journal
August 11, 2003
"Riding The Rails" Feature |
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The Washington Post
Washington, D.C.
September 23, 2005
September 26, 2004
September 15, 2002
"Taking the Train" Annual Feature |
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles, California
March 28, 2004
"Low-cost route to riding the rails
starts by surfing the Net" |
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TIME Magazine
May 15, 2000 (Vol. 156, No. 19)
Recommended in "Do-It-Yourself
Luxury on Thailand's Railways" |
Model Railroader
Magazine
Kalmbach Publishing
April 2003
"10 Favorite Web Sites" Feature |
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London Sunday Times
London, England
February 27, 2000
Essential Travel Site |
Associated Press
Various US Cities
April 16, 2009
"In recession, some child's play is still free" |
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The Jerusalem Post
Jerusalem, Israel
June 16, 2000
"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" Feature |
Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney, Australia
April 29, 2000
"Steamy Stuff" Feature |
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Associated Press
Various US Cities + USA Today
November 2003
"Cybertrips: Track down a tourist train
for an easy scenic trip" |
L'Ordinateur
Individuel
France
December 17, 2002
"Pour mieux jouer" recommends
RailServe.com's Train Simulator add-ons |
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Bloomberg
Kalmbach Publishing
April 2003
"Japan Rail Crash Toll Rises"
cites RailServe.com |
Edmonton Journal
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
February 12, 2010
"Travellers want a tourism industry that
is more eco-conscious" |
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The Wall Street
Journal
May 3, 2005
"Rail Stations No Ticket to Success"
quotes RailServe.com designer |
Mail on Sunday
London, England
June 2, 2002
"Life in the fast train to Europe" |
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Knoxville
News-Sentinel
Knoxville, Tennessee
August 31, 2003
"View fall leaves from the tracks" |
Montreal Gazette
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
September 12, 2008
"Going Green" |
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Dallas Morning News
Dallas, Texas
December 12, 1999
"Beyond low fares:
21 cool Internet tricks for travelers" |
Cincinnati Post
Cincinnati, Ohio
January 21, 2000
"From quilts to crosswords,
find your hobby online" |
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Centre Daily Times
State College, Pennsylvania
December 8, 2008
"Railroads offer scenic journeys through time" |
Smart Computing Magazine
November 1999
"Where To Buy... Train Tickets" |
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Daily Herald
Chicago, Illinois
September 10, 2000
"Web-based guide a must for every traveler" |
Chicago Tribune
Chicago, Illinois
March 23, 2011
"When that lonesome whistle blows..." |
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Yardley News
Yardley, PA
July 22, 1999
Feature on Christopher Muller (Link) |
Bucks County Courier Times
Bucks County, PA
July 14, 1999
Feature on Christopher Muller (Link) |
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RailServe.com Select Book Appearances
books that recommend, reference, or cite RailServe.com
How To Travel Practically Anywhere
Susan Stellin
Houghton Mifflin (2006) |
Sams Teach Yourself E-Travel Today
Mark Orwoll
Macmillan (2000) |
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Travel Planning
Online for Dummies
Noah Vadnai & Julian Smith
Wiley, John & Sons (2000) |
First-Time Around The World
Doug Lansky
Rough Guides Limited (2006) |
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50+1 Fun Things to Do With Kids During
Summer
Ann Kepler
Encouragement Press (2007) |
USA by Rail
John Pitt
Bradt Travel Guides (2008) |
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Rough Guide to Travel Online (2nd
edition)
Samantha Cook & Greg Ward
Rough Guides Limited (2004) |
Rough Guide to First-Time
Europe (8th edition)
Rough Guides Limited (2010) |
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Marketing Through Search
Optimization
Alex Michael & Ben Salter
Butterworth-Heinemann (2003) |
Hassle Free Business Travel
William Mitchell
Ten Speed Press (2003) |
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The Wall Street Journal Guide to the
Business of Life
Nancy Keates
Crown Publishers (2005) |
The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Planning a Trip Online
Julia Cardis & Kendall Smith
Que (2000) |
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You Are
Here Traveling with JohnnyJet.com
Eric Leebow
Yahbooks Publishing (2003) |
Internet Travel
Planner
Michael Shapiro
Globe Pequot Press (2002) |
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World Stompers: A Global Travel
Manifesto
Brad Olsen
CCC Publishing (2001) |
The Traveler's Handbook:
The Insider's Guide to World Travel
Globe Pequot (2006) |
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AAA Travel Tips You Can Trust
Anne McAlpin
AAA (2002) |
Le voyageur branché
Gilles Bélanger
Éditions MultiMondes (2003) |
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The Travel Guru: Turn Your Love of
Travel
Into a Rewarding Home Business
Bill Reitter
Xlibris (2001) |
Lessons in Your Rucksack:
The Complete TEFL Survival Guide
John Hughes
Modern English Publishing (2005) |
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Getting Started in Garden
Railroading
Allan W. Miller
Krause Publications (2001) |
MTV Europe
Various Authors
Frommers (2006) |
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Que's Internet Yellow Pages
Que (2001-2007, Annual) |
Compton's
Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia Britannica (1997) |
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Best of the Internet
Joe Kraynak
Que (2002) |
Harcourt Learning
Travel Agent Course
Harcourt Learning Direct (2000) |
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Guide to English
Language Teaching 2005
Simon Collin
Modern English Publishing (2005) |
The CyberUnion Handbook
Arthur B Shostak
M.E. Sharpe (2002/2015) |
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The Capstone Encyclopaedia of
Business
Capstone
John Wiley & Sons (2003/2007) |
Baltimore Civil Engineering History
Bernard G. Dennis, Matthew C. Fenton
American Society of Civil Engineers (2004) |
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Traveler's Tool Kit
Rob Sangster
Menasha Ridge Press (2000) |
Online Travel
Ed Perkins
Microsoft Press (2000) |
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The Internet Kids & Family Yellow
Pages
Jean Amour Polly
McGraw-Hill (2000) |
Buying Travel
Services on the Internet
Durant Imboden
McGraw-Hill (1999) |
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La Familia Hayburg: On the Opposite
Side of the World (Vol. Two)
Juanito Hayburg
iUniverse (2007) |
Great Scouts!: Cyberguides for
Subject Searching on the Web
Nora Paul, Margot Williams
Information Today (1999) |
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Walking With Your Ancestors
Melinda Kashuba
Writer's Digest Books (2005) |
Cyndi's List
Cyndi Howells
Genealogical Pub. Co. (1999) |
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Greenwood Encyclopedia of World
Popular Culture, Volume 1
Gary Hoppenstand & John F. Bratzel
Greenwood Press (2007) |
Green Jobs: A Guide to Eco-Friendly
Employment
A. Bronwyn Llewellyn
Adams Media (2008) |
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Internet Outdoor Family Fun Yellow
Pages
Jack Sanders
McGraw-Hill (1999) |
Raising Bookworms
Emma Walton Hamilton
Beech Tree Books (2008) |
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Oxford Encyclopedia of
Economic History
Joel Mokyr
Oxford University Press (2003) |
Privatization of Roads & Highways
Walter Block
Ludwig von Mises Institute (2009) |
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Alternative Travel Directory
Clayton Hubbs
Transitions Abroad (2000) |
Model Railroad Resources
Allan W. Miller
Krause Publications (2000) |
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BikeBuch USA / Canada
Clement Carle
Reise Know-How (2004) |
English
Language 2007
Simon Collin
Keyways Publishing (2007) |
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Technologieführer
Hans-Jörg Bullinger
Springer (2006) |
British Railway Enthusiasm
Ian Carter
Manchester University Press (2008) |
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All Aboard: The Complete North
American
Train Travel Guide
Jim Loomis
Chicago Review Press (2011) |
Encyclopedia of the
Industrial
Revolution in America
James S. Olson
Greenwood Press (2001) |
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The Sunday Times Guide to Holidays
Online
Matthew Wall
HarperCollins (2001) |
Get Out, Explore, and Have Fun
Lisa Jo Rudy
Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2010) |
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Have Backpack Will Travel: How To
See
The World on a Shoestring Budget
Earl E. Paul, Ph.D.
CreateSpace (2010) |
La Familia Hayburg: On the Opposite
Side of the World - Volume Two
Juanito Hayburg
iUniverse (2007) |
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Getting Started with Lionel Trains
Allan W. Miller
Krause Publications (2001) |
Ultimate Guide to Model Trains
Elvio Romeo
CreateSpace (2009) |
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Career Opportunities in
Transportation
Richard McDavid & Susan Echaore-McDavid
Ferguson (2009) |
Microsoft Bookshelf
Microsoft (1998) |
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