Forum topic breakdown

[Attaboy]

I voted no, although they could drop the anniversary car thing since it never gets out of Wisconsin. The main change I would like to see is more threads list per page in the main topics. Instead of just 20, maybe go to 40. As it is now a thread can be started in the morning and end up on page two, or even page 3, by noon just because other threads are busy. As has been mentioned, I also like the crossover between scales and interests, I often get a chance to consider something from another vantage point that sparks new ideas.

I checked grandeman's link to the ideal forum. The busiest forum had six people in it (the anti nitpicker's), most only had one person. At the same time there was nine people here in the general discussion forum. I don't like typing to myself.

[johncolley]

My suggestion would be to relegate the boxcar thread back to prototype category and utilize that space for Electrical/Control issues. Easy enough to do, eh?

[Anonymous]

I think that the reason the forums works well right now is we all meet here and discuss all sort of things. I agree that some of the good clinics and how to's are always falling to page 3 or so, and maybe a new forum for Clinics, and in-depth how-to's might be good, but to splinter it out to separate scales, DCC, scenery, weathering etc, will make the main forum fall in postings, and I really like how we have a very active group here, mainly because we all post here. Look at the layout and proto forums here, it may be days before a new post is made, and takes longer for a reply sometimes, of course my MRC Synchro Sound question is still un-answered [;)] but really I see this as the busiest and most helpful forum we have as model railroaders. Also the flaming is low, help is high, and I feel like I am part of the biggest club in MR. By splitting it up, I think we would get some neo-cons that would say, post on that forum, not relavent here, people having to keep track of another forum or list, I mean I already have to follow Atlas N scale, ModelTrainsWeathered.Com, TrainBoard.Com, PeoriaRails, Sig-Op List, Card Card List, Railwire.Com and about 2 or 3 others that I hit off and on. I did vote yes, but to have a central place for the clinics.

Just my 2¢

It really is up to Bergie and the powers that be, we can ponder all day and night, but they will decide, if we get additional forums, or even get to have a forum.

[jfugate]

David:

I agree that one new topic is probably called for, and that's for the threads that reach "classic" status.

That way they don't have to compete with the constant new threads asking what your favorite locomotive or DCC system is.

[swg]

[Big_Boy_4005]

I voted yes.

Some have, in the past, suggested that it be broken down by scale, but that is not the answer.

I like the idea of having a seperate forums for DCC, scenery, design & construction, painting & decals, and perhaps electrical, while keeping general as the catch all for those non specific topics, and the less commonly discussed areas of the hobby.

What might also be nice would be a forum specificly for showing off photos of your layout. All of the photo fun topics would go there, and individuals could have running progress reports on their construction.

The real trick is to get the members used to visiting the new forums, and getting them to place their topics in the appropriate one. Right now most posts go to general, even if they fit into one of the others. General gets most of the action, because everyone comes here first.

There is a way to see all of the forums at once. Use the active topics button at the top of the page. I've been doing that for over a year now.

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Attaboy

I checked grandeman's link to the ideal forum. The busiest forum had six people in it (the anti nitpicker's), most only had one person. At the same time there was nine people here in the general discussion forum. I don't like typing to myself.

I think you may have missed the point. What if this forum, with it's membership rolls and Model Railroader affiliation, were set up like modelrailroadforums.com? BTW, there's some great folks over there. That's why I post there too.[:)]

[grandeman]

Basically, from the start of the poll, we've had 2/3 of the membership voting for a format change. Just an observation.

[Big_Boy_4005]

For what it's worth, I just dropped Bergie an email, asking him to specificly look at this topic. I think there are a lot of good ideas and good points here. Change is always difficult to adjust to, but maybe now is the time.

Gee, where did everyone go? I didn't mean to be a topic killer. I did get an email back from Bergie, we have his attention.

"More input !" (Johnny Five, from the movie Short Circuit.)

[edkowal]

I voted no. This forum has its own flavor. It is a far more general forum than any others than I actively participate in. Which fits its role as a Model Railroader creation. Its a general interest magazine.

All the other groups that I pay attention to are much more specific. On those, you don't get the mix of responses that you do here. And as has benn mentioned, here you might get a response from left field, so to speak, that will open up a way of doing things previously unknown to you.

I like it the way it is. It's different from the rest.

P.S. I just took a look at the website refered to by Grandeman. I do not want this forum to look like that. Emphatically not. It is divided up to a fair-thee-well. With as many topics as there, it would take me way too long to check up on things. Plus, I would tend to ignore some of the categories. I know, because when TrainNet was more active than it is now, around about 1996 or so, that was the way it was organized. I spent all my time in one or two topics, and the general topic. But because there were so many bins to put your post in, both interesting posts and interesting members tended to be isolated, and sometimes missed my attention. I think that's one of the reasons that TrainNet is not more active now. That's the reason that I dropped off that list, that's for sure.

-Ed

[Anonymous]

Also i think have a phot gallery that people can also show their designs and goofy piucs as well

[Anonymous]

How about keeping signature photos a maximum of 2 inches in height? [:D]