The Best Posts

[daveklepper]

Free speech is guaranteed by the USA Constitution. Dave Klepper

[kenneo]

1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, Floor

[Anonymous]

Reading thru this and other posts,may I put my input in,?Humor is a good thang,it takes more muskles to frown than to laff.As for getting together ,am always up for a parttttttyyyyy.Ya'll need to come to the home of Elvis,and cry a little at the SITE. Then go eat some B-B-Q.. do some one armed curls(with yur favorite beverage).Do some train watching cause they is plenty of spots around the greater memphis area.And just have one heck of a great time down here.Oh,by the way it took me 10 min.2 type this,cause I talk about as slow as I tipe.Had to turn my speel check off or it wooda takn me an hour to tip this....

[Anonymous]

LOL
true true

[JoeKoh]

Yeah but Kev are we going to have room in case ME sends you to the doghouse???
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

I figure somewhere, with easy access to The Canadian folks would bve a prime location,

My backyard?

[espeefoamer]

Most of the population seems to be either in the Northeast,or in southern California.Maybe something could be set up in each ofthese areas.Fullerton,Ca. has a railroad days the first weekend in May.This could be a good place to begin.[:)]

[CShaveRR]

Wow...you ladies sure keep this interesting!

Sister Jen, am I ever glad to hear you mention Barbecue! I haven't had much luck in converting the rest of my family.

And Nora, to get to all of those places you mentioned, you wouldn't want to miss Chicago! Just let me know when...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironhorseman

A Trains Forum Get Together? I don't think it was more than six months ago the idea was rejected. Now people are willing to do it? OK, whatever.

I had an idea a month ago while at the Great American Train Show. If somehow I could get a Trains.com banner, some blank nametag stickers, and a card table, I could've set up a small booth at the train show and if any forum members would happen to wander by they could sign the guest book and wear a name tag with their screen name on it. Plus, those unfamiliar with the forums would be exposed to it. Something simple, y'know?[?]

The Trains staff wouldn't have to send a representative employee from H.Q. to every train show, just find a forum member to volunteer to work at the booth. After the weekend the guest book(s) could be mailed back to H.Q. where the names could be entered into a database and the book(s) then would then be mailed to the next volunteer(s) and the next weekend's train show(s). (There are multiple train shows every weekend if for those of you that don't already know www.gats.com). That way those who can't travel long distances cross country can get together with other regional or local forum members. Plus, if you do travel a very, very long distance to see GATS or if you happen to be on vacation in a city when GATS come to town you'd get to see forum members from that area, too.

Now, as for the larger get together, Mookie really wants it in Nebraska, but KANSAS is in the geographical CENTER of the United States in Lebannon, KS (that's section B-10 in your Wal-Mart Rand McNally Road Atlas)

(sorry, Mookie, I just had to set the record straight [;)])

Kansas has been crying that we get no tourists, especially Wichita, but maybe if Wichita would clean up their smelly water people would come here. But I digress.

Yes, pick some of the railroad events to do this get together.

Speaking of which: I've been informed the UP Challenger #3985 will be on the move again http://www.upsteam.com/schedule.html

Perhaps some of us could get together at some of it's stops? I'll be at the Coffeyville, KS stop on Saturday Feb. 8 and maybe the 2nd time it goes through Kansas City (the next day). I'm thinking about following it from Coffeyville to KC but that isn't determined yet.

I'm thinking someone said not too long back that somewhere in Nebraska was the center of the POPULATION of the US...but then I am not in Kansas anymore Toto....so maybe my memory isn't too good. [:X]

[ironhorseman]

A Trains Forum Get Together? I don't think it was more than six months ago the idea was rejected. Now people are willing to do it? OK, whatever.

I had an idea a month ago while at the Great American Train Show. If somehow I could get a Trains.com banner, some blank nametag stickers, and a card table, I could've set up a small booth at the train show and if any forum members would happen to wander by they could sign the guest book and wear a name tag with their screen name on it. Plus, those unfamiliar with the forums would be exposed to it. Something simple, y'know?[?]

The Trains staff wouldn't have to send a representative employee from H.Q. to every train show, just find a forum member to volunteer to work at the booth. After the weekend the guest book(s) could be mailed back to H.Q. where the names could be entered into a database and the book(s) then would then be mailed to the next volunteer(s) and the next weekend's train show(s). (There are multiple train shows every weekend if for those of you that don't already know www.gats.com). That way those who can't travel long distances cross country can get together with other regional or local forum members. Plus, if you do travel a very, very long distance to see GATS or if you happen to be on vacation in a city when GATS come to town you'd get to see forum members from that area, too.

Now, as for the larger get together, Mookie really wants it in Nebraska, but KANSAS is in the geographical CENTER of the United States in Lebannon, KS (that's section B-10 in your Wal-Mart Rand McNally Road Atlas)

(sorry, Mookie, I just had to set the record straight [;)])

Kansas has been crying that we get no tourists, especially Wichita, but maybe if Wichita would clean up their smelly water people would come here. But I digress.

Yes, pick some of the railroad events to do this get together.

Speaking of which: I've been informed the UP Challenger #3985 will be on the move again http://www.upsteam.com/schedule.html

Perhaps some of us could get together at some of it's stops? I'll be at the Coffeyville, KS stop on Saturday Feb. 8 and maybe the 2nd time it goes through Kansas City (the next day). I'm thinking about following it from Coffeyville to KC but that isn't determined yet.

[Mookie]

Joe - BBQ and chocolate cake of course!

[JoeKoh]

Wow
thanks mookie but if I'm in charge of food what are you guys going to eat? It sounds like a plan and I do have vacation time after July 4th.Matts already used to road trips.Kansas city does sound like a resonable metting place.It was fun to meet a couple of guys just in Bryan Ohio about a month ago.A short note about Missouri. We all tried to help him but he just didnt want to be helped.
stay safe
Joe

[Nora]

We're already planning a long road trip this summer (possibly including parts of IA, SD, NE and KS and whatever other states there are on the route we choose to travel). If we get an idea going soon enough, I might be able to plan around that, because the only thing we know so far is that we're going sometime between May and October!

And I AM going to be asking everyone for suggestions of what we HAVE to see on the trip, once our planning is further along. [:D]

--Nora

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skeets

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Yo Bergie - Nebraska is more centrally located than Illinois! Right in the middle! And wouldn't that just be a hoot to see BNSF freak out when we all stand by my favorite place right by the tracks!

Mookie

Waitaminutemoo! Wasn't it Nebraska about which Gertrude Stein said, "There's no there there..."? :^)

Ah - one of our great Nebraska Spokespeople - just like our favorite son William J Clinton - who said - "is is".....

That's why we should hold this in Nebraska - we are expensive, we have no people past Grand Island and who has ever been here besides Mudchicken and he goes through here at nite and at top speed! Also, we could use the tourist $.

Moo

[Mookie]

Jim - we could use Mookie's engine to pull this special train.

Joe is in charge of food, Ed can hang off the back - I will engineer, with just a teeny bit of help ....and Matt can be in charge of the yellow and hangie down thingies! Dan can tell jokes and you can record them! The rest can just relax and enjoy the view, since if I am going to be the engineer, probably won't change much!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie


(Why don't we plan a Trains.com family reunion for this summer? Pick a centrally-located railroad event like Galesburg Railroad Days and get together. What do you think?)

Erik

Erik [:)]

Funny you should make a post about this. I have been thinking the same thing for about a month. Something else I was thinking about -- a special Amtrak trip for the forum members. Some of the staff and as many of the members as possible. Possibly regional in scope or maybe even on a national level. Of course there would be costs involved but it is something to consider. Forum members could spend a day or more, whatever their schedule would allow, and meet other members, while enjoying a nice trip aboard one of the thread topics--Amtrak. There could be displays, souvenir sales, maybe even the railroads would sponsor a special even somewhere along the way. This could also be an annual event taking in a different part of the Amtrak system every year. I know it would take alot of planning but it is something that could happen. Many of the forum members know that AARPCO does this every year. Of course they use their own private cars while we would be using Amtrak's cars. Forum members could be involved in the planning by telephone voice conference. There could even be a convention at some point in the trip. I am sure that other forums members will have some input on this idea. I know that not everyone would be able to do this every year but some might. And others might could do it once every 3 or 4 years. This is something to consider and work for. I am game to help anyway I can. Another thought would be to also consider using VIA and alternate between America and Canada. One year we visit the Amtrak system and the next year we visit the VIA system.

Now that I have upped the anty, who will "jump on board" and help achieve this goal?

[Trainnut484]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

(Why don't we plan a Trains.com family reunion for this summer? Pick a centrally-located railroad event like Galesburg Railroad Days and get together. What do you think?)

See... there I go changing the subject. [:o)]

Erik

Erik,

I would like to cast my vote for Kansas City as the place for a Trains.com family get-together . I don't think there is a local railroad event this summer, but that doesn't mean you can't have a party [;)].

Just think like the song..."Kansas City here I come...."[:D]

Take care,

Russell

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Yo Bergie - Nebraska is more centrally located than Illinois! Right in the middle! And wouldn't that just be a hoot to see BNSF freak out when we all stand by my favorite place right by the tracks!

Mookie

Waitaminutemoo! Wasn't it Nebraska about which Gertrude Stein said, "There's no there there..."? :^)

[edblysard]

Oh, I know the answer to Bergie's question.
Buy tickets to Nebraska!
You know you cant win, dont you?
Ed

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

Yo Bergie - Nebraska is more centrally located than Illinois! Right in the middle! And wouldn't that just be a hoot to see BNSF freak out when we all stand by my favorite place right by the tracks!

Mookie

First you want green stars, now this. What am I going to do with you? [:D]

Bergie

[Puckdropper]

Bergie, if you want to put up a trains.com booth, or maybe see about something for Kalmbach at Galesburg Railroad days, it may be a good idea. Set up a specific time or 3 for everyone to gather in a location, and let everyone know early.

Maybe find some neat railroad stuff and put on a short presentation...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CShaveRR

That's the best reason, Sis, for picking an already-established date and location. If this were to come about I'd take some of my flexible vacation days to make it work for me. Too bad Knox Station has closed; that would have been a great place for a few of the guests to stay.

Now, if you could get some people around Omaha or Council Bluffs to do a railroad festival in late April, I could really go for that (and I'd personally come pick you up, if necessary!).

Too bad the big spike hasn't been built in North Platte yet...

[:p] Brother Carl - if you are coming for me - I am headin' home to pack! Just mention trains and I will follow you anywhere!

Mookie

[CShaveRR]

That's the best reason, Sis, for picking an already-established date and location. If this were to come about I'd take some of my flexible vacation days to make it work for me. Too bad Knox Station has closed; that would have been a great place for a few of the guests to stay.

Now, if you could get some people around Omaha or Council Bluffs to do a railroad festival in late April, I could really go for that (and I'd personally come pick you up, if necessary!).

Too bad the big spike hasn't been built in North Platte yet...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

Want the official Trains.com stance on this topic? There really isn't one. But simply put, the "off topic" conversations amoungst our users help create the best group of forum users on the Internet, in my opion.

(The only thing I will crack down on is poor language, personal attacks, etc.)

While we would prefer you talk about railroad-related subjects, we also understand that we're all tied together by the bond of a love for railroading. Many discussions don't relate to railroading, but that's OK. Just imagine if we were all together in person. After a certain amount of time together, we'd eventually stop talking about trains and start talking about other things. It's only natural, and that's what makes our community so strong. Our users know a lot about each other, and something tells me there will be a lot of holiday greeting cards exchanged between our users. Friendships are built through more than "on topic" discussions alone.

I firmly believe that we have the best group of railroad knowledge and insight on the Internet. Our community is only strengthened by the personal relationships that have been built here. Those relationships keep us coming back for more.

I want to thank you all for your input in our forums. You guys are the best, and I truly appreciate all of your contributions. I wish you all a happy holidays and look forward to meeting more of you in person in the future. (Why don't we plan a Trains.com family reunion for this summer? Pick a centrally-located railroad event like Galesburg Railroad Days and get together. What do you think?)

See... there I go changing the subject. [:o)]

Erik

Hey Bergie - let's put this in perspective - we can't seem to get 4 people in our office to decide on a date, time and where to go for our holiday lunch....good luck Bud!

Mookie

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Puckdropper

Railroad Days sounds cool... It is probably more centrally located for the midwesterners than NE (sorry Mookie.) I suppose we could look at the "represent your state" thread and see where everyone is at.

Give Mookie and E for Effort! [^]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

QUOTE: Originally posted by Alaskaman

Or maybe:
"Forums for boring people with no sense of humor"
I know a couple of people who would be glad to use them.
I have about 361 posts, and in only about 200 of them I have actually answered or asked some train-related questions. People don't seem to hate me for that, neither they are thinking about kicking me out of here.
Some who rememeber Missouri : what was he talking about? From what I read mostly railroad related stuff. His posts lacked humor and concern for other members. But he got kicked off.
Sir, if you choose to go against the crowd, consider this: they will treat you how you treat them.
Why do people even bother to complain about this? Gosh, get a life.

To all who weren't familiar with the user "Missouri," let me make one thing perfectly clear: Missouri was not kicked off of Trains.com because of a lack or humor, nor because his opinion differed from others.

He was kicked off because he repeatedly, habitually posted topics that dealt with the same subject (railroad crossing safety) and often twisted the truth to support his point of view. He was not kicked off for a lack of humor, or because others didn't like him. He was kicked off for starting riots and twisting the truth, over and over again.

I'm happy to say he's the only person we've ever had to take severe action against. I appreciate that.

Erik

Missouri was kicked off the forum because he was psychoticly single minded in his warped viewpoint. No form of debate, conversation, disertation, or even screaming at him even sparked a single change in thought or replies. You would post a reply saying "think of this" or "how about this" offering alternate information and he would just reply with the same thing over and over and over again. No form of debate would work with him and things would get nasty and just plain ticked off almost everyone on the forum.

At least thats my memory of him.

[Puckdropper]

Railroad Days sounds cool... It is probably more centrally located for the midwesterners than NE (sorry Mookie.) I suppose we could look at the "represent your state" thread and see where everyone is at.

[Mookie]

Yo Bergie - Nebraska is more centrally located than Illinois! Right in the middle! And wouldn't that just be a hoot to see BNSF freak out when we all stand by my favorite place right by the tracks!

Mookie

[rrnut282]

Well he is right, up to a point. Maybe this forum needs a little more balance, since most of us foamers are unbalanced!