# Is there a simple (free or cheap) way to build a club website?



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

We have a small club in Central Arkansas - The Arkansas Powered Rails Garden Railway Club - that is focused on running trains with the various forms of track power (we also have members with battery power and live steam).

I have had suggestions and requests for a club website but I have little knowledge and no experience in building or operating a web site and our club has no funds to pay someone to build one for us.

Is there such a thing as a generic web site that can be created with minimum knowledge, effort and cost? Nothing fancy just something to share information about the club including where and when we meet.

Thanks,

Jerry


----------



## reeveha (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, I found that NVU is a fairly simple WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) product.Click here. Plus it's open source & free. It's available for Windows, Apple & Linux. Plus it has a tutorial that is very helpful.

I used it to build a prototype of the WAGRS website

For the photo albums I used Jalbum. Click here. It generates the pages and the code that you insert into your HTML.

But, you'll still need to register your domain and get some one to host (hold the website) and that can cost $$$$

Disclaimer - I have nothing to do with either of the companies mentioned and have received no monies to mention thest companies but found their product very useful and easy to use for the beginner designing a website.

Happy RRing 

Herb


----------



## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry

This may seem obvious, but have you thought to send Shad an eMail and ask him?


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Some people use yahoo groups...it's free.


----------



## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

I use angelfire.com you can take a look at mine and see what i did, at no cost!!!


Blueregals Garden Railroading Home Page


----------



## reeveha (Jan 2, 2008)

Also, if you already have a domain hosted you should be able to just register the new domain and use domain forwarding to a specific directory on that domain.


----------



## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

Simple and free is Google Sites. Just google "google sites". 

Best, 
TJ


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

if you already have a domain hosted you should be able to just register the new domain and use domain forwarding 

But you'll pay a fee for the forwarding. 

Jerry, 
As you are a 1st class member (and obviously a 1st class guy as well,) you have the web space available 24/7 for a club web site at no additional charge. You should also check with your internet provider - I use Comcast cable and they give me free space to store one or two web sites, e.g. *[url]http://home.comcast.net/~pthorton1/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html*[/url] 

The 'name' of the site can be bought for $9/year if you want something special, or can just be the page address, e.g. 
*[url]http://gold.mylargescale.com/petethornton/html/petes-mls-ad.htm*[/url]. If you buy a name (e.g. www.apr-grc.org) then you set it up to point to the page. 

Some folk use Microsoft Word to make up web pages. It's a cheap way of doing it if you have Office and you don't have to learn web page layout stuff. Otherwise, there are lots of inexpensive software for making up web sites and web pages. 

If you want something fancy, I know a young lady in L.A. who'll do it for $30/hour.


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I like "sea monkey" as a webpage builder: 

http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ 

its a free download.. 
its the updated version of the old Netscape Composer, 
its now "open source" from the Mozilla/Firefox people.. 
an easy to use webpage builder.. 

I have been using http://www.trainweb.org/ as the GGGRS host for years: 

http://www.trainweb.org/gggrs/ 

its free, but it does have the ads on the top on bottom.. 

Shad said he eventually plans to offer some web space for clubs..
if that happens, I will probably move the GGGRS page over to MLS..

these days, using photobucket for photos, it doesnt take much space to host a club webpage..

Scot


----------



## ShadsTrains (Dec 27, 2007)

I host several club websites free of charge. You have a couple different options, just drop me a line. Also, though I haven't published much about it, you can create a group right here at MLS for your club.. 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ClubsGroups/tabid/76/Default.aspx 

Each group gets it's own discussion forum, and photo album. 

Currently, groups require my approval before it's available to use, and you must be a 1st class member to start a group.


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By ShadsTrains on 25 Aug 2009 11:56 AM 
I host several club websites free of charge. You have a couple different options, just drop me a line. Also, though I haven't published much about it, you can create a group right here at MLS for your club.. 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/ClubsGroups/tabid/76/Default.aspx 

Each group gets it's own discussion forum, and photo album. 

Currently, groups require my approval before it's available to use, and you must be a 1st class member to start a group. Posted By SteveC on 25 Aug 2009 08:21 AM 
Jerry

This may seem obvious, but have you thought to send Shad an eMail and ask him?



Actually I had not thought to ask Shad but I have now sent him an email.

Thanks,

Jerry


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I am happy to announce that the the* Arkansas Powered Rails Garden Railway Club* now has an official website at:

http://aprgrc.com/

Many thanks to Dean Whipple for making this possible and for preparing the website for us.

Jerry


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, 

Early this year, Google started Google "Sites" which have some neat templates for clubs and neighborhoods - and they are free.


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 21 Nov 2009 10:20 AM 
Jerry, 

Early this year, Google started Google "Sites" which have some neat templates for clubs and neighborhoods - and they are free. 

Hi Pete,

What was important to me was that Dean did all the work. All I did was to give him some basic information and he created the web site for me. There was nothing for me to read, nothing to learn and no effort on my part.

I could not be happier with the results and there was no cost issue to deal with.

Thanks,

Jerry


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

nothing for me to read, nothing to learn and no effort on my part 
You clearly got the right kind of website! 

But for anyone else reading this, the Google templates take all the fun/trouble out of making a site. They are complete, with text, sample photos, etc. All you do is click the 'edit page' link and type over what is there, or click the 'insert image' to add a photo. If you can handle MLS, you can make a website. 

I did this in 20 minutes: *http://www.marinatowersandyachtclub.com/*


----------

