Modeling advise getting harder to come by.

[MAbruce]

Hum, we’re concerned about the amount of “fluff” topics around and yet this topic is…. [:-^]

Just kidding.[swg][:-,]

The “fluff” has been around here for a long time (at least since I started). It usually comes in cycles. The modeling questions come in cycles too. I’ve observed that once someone launches a topic that draws a lot of activity, then soon other similar topics (& polls) pop up. Such is life here.

[CNJ831]

I have to side with vsmith on this one. Let there be a "modeling" forum created and leave this one to all the pointless postings and polls which contribute nothing. The reason one sees so few modeling questions is that they are quickly pushed off the first 1 or 2 pages by all the nonsense/pointless topics. When MR had its original on-line forum several years ago things were much better; the majority of posts were valid hobby questions and replies -- now it's 95% fluff and pointless arguments.

CNJ831

[Isambard]

Here's a bit of "fluff" to add to this discussion, then I must get back to very very serious modelling.

"I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid . Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at
Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr
the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist
and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and
you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos
not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? and
I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!"

This has been a fun thread. Thanks to n2mopac for starting it.
[:)]

[n2mopac]

Isambard: thanks for saying so. I wasn't sure from the tenor of the posts whether most agreed that it was "fun," but I felt I needed to put my 2 cents worth in.

tatans: you make a good point. I also do not understand why these threads have to become so adversarial--this isn't Law & Order. I does seem that when someone expresses a personal opinion about the forum or anything else it draws out a latent need to argue, even if you would normally have agreed with the opinion. I don't understand why some cannot simply read another opinion and even post their own dissenting (did i spell that right?) opinion without becoming inflamed and resortin to attacks on one's person for having an opinion or for mispelling disgrutled; disgrentled; disgruntld; disguttled; disgruntled; discgrenttled, or whatever.
Ron

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: I also do not understand why these threads have to become so adversarial.

Unfortunately it seems to be fairly typical of message boards in all areas. I suspect a lot of it has to do with the fact that it is a relatively anonymous method of communication. Some people let themselves make comments, or word things more harshly, than they might if they were talking to the person face to face. Sometimes comments just get misunderstood because we're not there to see the facial expression or body language of the other, or hear the tone in which the comment is spoken. I saw a lot of that back in work in email communications also.

Of course, there are those who just naturally more "in your face" with their comments.

Actually, this forum is pretty mild. There are a lot of others, including other model railroad forums, where the attacks are a lot more personal.

I wonder if the fact that we're on page two of this thread substantiates your original point that we'd rather talk about why you can or can't get advice, rather than actually give it? [:D]

Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

I think "fluff" topics are valid. One of the great things about our hobby is the social aspect . .. .whether its with a LHS owner, those that you meet at open houses, shows etc. I've think I've met very few people in this hobby that were anything other than bottom line "good people." Look at the author bios in MRR. There are folks from both sexes, all walks of life, different races, nationalities and I'm sure religeons, political affiliations etc. and we all have one thing in common - loving things that run on two parallel pieces of metal. I think that's pretty cool. Although I do see the forums as a place to exhange information and seek advise - I would hate for the social - fun - aspect to go away.

[Fergmiester]

GROUP HUG!!!!!!

Don't cha just feel warm and fuzzy like.
(Sorry I'm up from the basement and I'm having a bad track day)

[n2mopac]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

QUOTE: I also do not understand why these threads have to become so adversarial.

I wonder if the fact that we're on page two of this thread substantiates your original point that we'd rather talk about why you can or can't get advice, rather than actually give it? [:D]

Regards

Ed

Yes, Ed, I'm afraid you're right. But again, I don't mind "fluff," just not expense of the substance.[8D][8D][8D]

Ron

[Isambard]

As a well known "sentence runner-on" (see earlier posts on this thread) I had to chuckle when I came across the following today. It's a bit longer than most of mine, but has a nice ring to it.

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

Happy model railroading! Have fun!
[:D]

[Anonymous]

Don't let that guy join our forum!! He probably doesn't even use DCC!!!!

[darth9x9]

Well, since this is a general discussion, you will get all kinds of fluff.....kind of like the different fluffs found in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

BC

[BRAKIE]

Guys,I have notice on different forums that when a question is ask some lack details..How can we help without knowing some details?
This is one of my favorites that showed up on another forum.
My locomotive quit running.Can you help?
That tells us absolutely nothing except the locomotive doesn't run.
At least give the brand name and problem as most of us can take it from there.
Like so:
My X brand GP16 quit running..The head light works but the locomotive does not move..See the difference? Now we can help by telling you what to look for..Savvy?.[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

I am noticing a trend on this forum lately. I first must say that I enjoy this forum immensely and I have been here since its very beginning. But I have noticed that real modeling help is getting harder to find here. Look at the topics and the number of replies. Topics like "What am I?" and "The coffee shop" and some gossip topics (what I affectionallycall fluff) get huge numbers while real modeling querries get 2 or 4 posts. Now WAIT, before we start a flame war here, I am not against those topics. In fact I participte in them some myself, I just hope that they do not overwhelm the forum to the point that people who come here for real help with their model railroads do not find the help the want and need.

What I am saying is this, enjoy the fluff topics, but take time to put your 2 cents worth in when someone is looking for some ideal, advice, or real modeling help. That is, I think, what this forum was created for. I'm sure I'll get no end of replies here from those who think I am persecuting them or infringing on their first amendment rights of some other rediculous thing. Well, that's not my intent. Just trying ton encourage a well rounded forum where we can find leisure and helpful information all in one place.

Ron

My pet peeve is asking a specific question and getting 4 or 5 responses that do not answer the question. Part numbers for example. I'm sure some of us out there have bought some of these items. What I look for is for one person to respond with the information, and thread over. More often than not, the regular posters jump in with no information, just an opinion or comment. AND more often than not, they throw in some LHS, or on-line HS name who we should contact to ask the information from. This doesn't help. I wouldn't mind calling the on-line place if I knew the part number or what to ask for. I would more inclined to the order the item if I knew what it was. I only post the question because I don't know.

My suggestion to the rabib posters,......If you don't have the answer, read and move on. Please stop posting for the sake of posting. Those little stars don't mean anything to me.

[MAbruce]

Anyone else notice that only those topics directly relating to MRRing get highlighted in the "Modelrailroader.com" reader forum section of the weekly MR Newsletters? I don't think I've ever seen a link to a “fluff" topic.

Perhaps a subtle hint?

[StillGrande]

QUOTE: Originally posted by yankeejwb

I think the reason people use this forum to post modeling questions, as opposed to using the layout building and Prototype forums, is that the General Discussion forum gets a LOT more traffic, and therefore a broader exposure and wider range of answers. I've posted several questions here recently that could be classified under the other forums, but I knew I'd get better, faster response by using this one.

If MR created a specific modeling questions forum, I'm not sure it would change the above state of reality. It would quite possibly become another niche forum that those looking for the widest response possible would tend to bypass.

That's my [2c]

This is 100% on target. There is a site in the forums for Getting Kids Interested in Model railroading. One of the posts is how come no one posts here. People post where the traffic is to get a response.

If a response is inadequate for your needs, post on it again. It brings it back up. Some people on dial-ups who could answer the question better may only look at the first page of the forums and then leave. Better chance to get an answer. You can see it happen with no response topics all the time.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

I am noticing a trend on this forum lately. I first must say that I enjoy this forum immensely and I have been here since its very beginning. But I have noticed that real modeling help is getting harder to find here. Look at the topics and the number of replies. Topics like "What am I?" and "The coffee shop" and some gossip topics (what I affectionallycall fluff) get huge numbers while real modeling querries get 2 or 4 posts.

Ron

"What am I?" is a sweet thread. You get informaton and see photo of locomotives, so of them of rare prototype. I wish I had more fuel to keep it going.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

QUOTE: I also do not understand why these threads have to become so adversarial.

I wonder if the fact that we're on page two of this thread substantiates your original point that we'd rather talk about why you can or can't get advice, rather than actually give it? [:D]

Regards

Ed

Yes, Ed, I'm afraid you're right. But again, I don't mind "fluff," just not expense of the substance.[8D][8D][8D]

Ron

There is only as much substance as the members can come up with in the course of their modeling. In the meantime the rest of us use the fluff to pass the time. It was mentioned very early on in this topic, that serious modeling questions usually have specific answers and are dealt with in just a few posts.

I'm a little surprised that spelling is still an issue. I realize that this topic came weeks ahead of Bergie locking the one started by Deschane, but it is still getting old. I knew I had seen that poem and that other batch of misspelling before. They are both very cute.

[Anonymous]

One thing about the forum - if no one likes a topic it will go onto the back pages. The reason that "the coffee shop" is no farthur back then the second page is because people are posting on it, so we must be enjoying it. And for every post their are about ten lookers. Several of the new coffee clubbers have said that they read it for a while before chiming in. EVERY ONE IS WELCOME AND WE DO DISCUSS MODEL RAILROADING.

Ya'll have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob

[ckape]

Well, I think part of the issue is that not everyone will feel qualified to reply to a topic where someone is asking a modelling question. For fluff questions, on the other hand, everybody can either chime in with an opinion or complain loudly that the question doesn't include their scale/era/location.

[fishplate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

QUOTE:
I'll have to watch my tendency towards run-on sentences, particularly when I'm ranting about other's and their aweful speling and grammer and stuf like that and accept yhat many are in a hurrey and this forum duzzn't have a spel chequer, and recognise that weer all in it to have phun, eh?

Spell checker? Mine OK'd this:

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee four two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
Eye am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.


Bob Boudreau [:D] [:D]

As for me Bob, your spL cheeker maiks cence.

[Anonymous]

Well I think I have gotten an answer to every question I have ever posted

Some I had to read two or three times to understand them
but this board has helped me in my layout building

Also If I do not know the answer I will not post

[eastcoast]

I feel this is a simple concept, those who read a topic headline will
open that thread mostly based on the headline, just like a newspaper.
I for one SKIM OVER a "I need help" question. About 90% are usually
answered by then. NOW, if you were to say "Need help with a bridge"
then I will more than likely open and respond. Those on this forum who
in fact DO know about the topic will hopefully give a knowledgable answer
or a really good educated guess based on experience. Many of do in fact
have a sense of humor and it shows in the writing. I for one come on the forum
to seek help and to give help, kind of a " help me help you so I can learn" thing.
I like to go to the junk threads as well and state my opinions with the best of them.
Kind of like a steam blower or pressure release. I have posted topics that in fact
were maybe at question AND GOT CENSORED but I am still here. You really do
need to take all the critics with a grain of salt and press on,otherwise you get
angry and a war of words goes on forever on the thread going off on a tangent
that is way off topic from the original question, like I am doing.
I do not feel that advice is hard to come by, I just feel that the advice comes quick
and then the question fades away on to page 9 within a day. IF YOU POST a totally
quick Q & A right now, get your answer, and come back on in ,say, an hour, chances
are it will be on page 3. I do this, I get my answer I NEED and let the topic fade, after
that it becomes dust unless others keep it going. That is why the FLUFF stays alive.
AM I RAMBLING HERE AGAIN, OR JUST LOITERING ???
I've had my say, on to a different line.

[n2mopac]

This topic is growing stale, but I suppose my origional point was this. One opinion on how to accomplish something is helpful, but 10 different ideas are far better. I seems we sometimes don't get the variety of ideas on modeling how-to's that we used to. That's all.

Ron

[krump]

Still missing a question here. So ... once benchwork is complete (in my case as room layout against the walls is being constructed), should I be drilling holes into the wood frame to accomodate wiring needs, or should the wiring simply be attached to the underside of the table [?]

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: ...should I be drilling holes into the wood frame to accomodate wiring needs, or should the wiring simply be attached to the underside of the table..

Assuming you have a frame of 1x4's or something like that, with a solid top, I'd recommend drilling holes in the frame to pass the wires through. Makes for a neater job. You'll probably still need intermediate supports to hold the wires in between the frame cross members. That could be anything such as large wire staples driven part way in, or 'eye' or 'hook' screws.


Regards

Ed

[Bikerdad]

The difficulties you note are due to three aspects.

1) Poor Thread titling.

2) Poor Overall Forum architecture. Too much stuff thrown into the "General Forum"

3) Mediocre Forum interface - the lack of a "next page" link/button, which should be available alongside the Page# dropdown box is one element of this shortcoming. A second is the NEW POSTS feature which returns ALL the new posts from EVERY forum. Hmmmm, maybe I'm not interested in wading through the new posts on the Toy Train forum, eh? As a result, I don't use the NewPosts feature.