Trains.com passes 200 000 members!!!

[trainboyH16-44]

If you look at the forum index, you can see that it is at 200 179 members.
This is great, it shows how popular trains are!
I would like to use this opprotunity to send my thanks to Kalbach publishing on having such a great site, and to all the mods, especially Bergie, for keeping this place clean.
Here's to another 200 000 members!

[Anonymous]

yep, sadly i wasn't around when the 200,000th member joined so i don't know who it was

[Anonymous]

I wonder if this number includes the locked-out and self-destructive? (Self-destructive meaning ones who delete their account before Bergie can get a hold of them...[}:)])

Matt

[EDIT]

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44

If you look at the forum index, you can see that it is at 200 179 members.
This is great, it shows how popular trains are!

I'm not so sure. Just what does that number actually signify? Certainly it can not be taken to in any way imply the number of model railroaders or railfans out there.

The General Discussion (Model Railroader) forum is by far the most active of MR's forums. However, looking at the number of posters and readers for even the most highly active threads suggests there are really very few of us. Typically there are no more than 30 individual posters and, at the most, a few thousand readers, even when the topic is basic and expect to be of wide interest, such as the layouts, the hobby's current status, the arrival of some widely anticipated new locomotive, etc..

If one logically assumes a growing thread is read at least twice in its life by each of its readers and that such a thread must appeal to at least a quarter of all the folks on this forum, then it is hard to imagine that there are even 10k individuals with enough interest to be involved here...less for the other forums. This is in striking contrast to the 200,000 figure and, in fact, little more than 5% of MR magazine's readership!

So, just what meaning can be put on this number?

CNJ831

[hminky]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44

If you look at the forum index, you can see that it is at 200 179 members.
This is great, it shows how popular trains are!

So, just what meaning can be put on this number?

CNJ831

Personally , I think the number is really inflated "paper", members who don't participate. I have a website and post articles on all the forums. The number of people participating in these forums for the number registered. I have a web article "advertised" on all the forums about weathering plastic:



at:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/weathered_plastic/

So far I have approximately 600 entries to the site at that article. I am overjoyed with that figure and thank all those who have visited. That is quite small to the number of people participating on the forums.
The On30 Conspiracy on Yahoo always beat their chest they had over 2000 members. It was taken off Yahoo and only about 300 "real" members really exisited and rejoined immediately on its return. The internet appears larger than it really is and most people seem to be curiosity seekers.

Just a thought
Harolc

[jsoderq]

The number doesn't mean a thing as there are a great many who have multiple accounts for whatever reason.

[Anonymous]

When I first came on to Trains. I used two user names. But soon deleted them and only use one now. That's because I didn't no what to use. BNSFrailfan is my "only" username where ever I go. It makes it alot easer for me to remember. Allan.

[dragonriversteel]

A very small amount for a great hobby.What's the last censues count ? Around the low hundred millions or perhaps more,don't really know what the count is. But what I do know is are hobby is doomed to die off.So 200,000 isn't all that much....yes it's sad to see numbers like this.

If you take redneck numbers for NASCAR race car fans, it will surely cancel out a mere 200,000 model railroad fans. Don't know what the numbers for NASCAR fans are,can only guess. Is model railroading the most popular hobby ? Not by the numbers.

Patrick

[Anonymous]

Thanks to Kalbach for this site. I have enjoyed every minute I have spent on it. I suspect that many modelers never bother to go to any site but keep their modeling in the closet. Phil

[challenger3802]

All year I kept running out of time to revisit my hobby (work kept getting in the way, or sleep!) So to come back a year later and find relatively the same names posting replies, was like coming home once again.

Christmas holidays are for trains!!!!

Ian

[icmr]

QUOTE: Originally posted by challenger3802
Christmas holidays are for trains!!!!

ALL Holidays are for trains!!!!!!!!!



ICMR

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

[PennsyHoosier]

WOW! That is very cool. What a nice Christmas present for Kalmbach. They really do a great job with this forum!

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by icmr

QUOTE: Originally posted by challenger3802
Christmas holidays are for trains!!!!

ALL Holidays are for trains!!!!!!!!!



ICMR

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

Not to mention all the other days too! [8D][8D][:D]