I only read thise hat apply to me. Layouts and layout building, Electronics and DCC, Prototype information for the modeler, and General Discussion (Model Railroader)
Roger Hensley= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html == Railroads of Madison County - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/ =
I read about 75% of them.....If I can contribute, I do. I lot of times, I'll read one where an OP (original poster) ask questions and is given a workable solution or answer...I will not participate...I'm a believer in too many cooks spoil the pot. Lately though...I have not been on the MRR forums much....been elsewhere, with different Hobby's...like R/C models....the weather, being summer, the Grandkids want to be outside and I don't blame them.
Take Care!
Frank
I USED to read all the forum threads and answer if I knew, or commented if I had what I thought was a valid one.
Now, not so much. I have pretty much subjected-out of the forums here.
I Do contribute on most occasions in the diner thread to stay in touch with my MRRing "roots'...but thats about all now.
Stop on in to the Jeffrey's Trackside Diner thread, you can talk about subjects-the only thread really allowed here to do so, OR talk aobut your MRRIng in general terms and share what-not that you like!! Only requirement is to be a posting member of these here forums...
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I read MR (general, layout, DCC/Electronics), Atlas Rescue (mainly HO), Train Orders (modeling and Nostalgia & History), MRH Magazine forums, Southern Pacific Modelers Society (activity is low there anymore). Occasionally I'll check on some other model train forums which have fewer discussions of interest to me.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
There was a time when I read all contributions to all of the trains.com forums, but then I was a moderator
Nowadays, I find myself reading less and less of the posts. When the title is not appealing to me I don´t risk an eye on the issue. I caught myself being less patient with those typical newbie questions and less willing to give help or advice. Furthermore, I get more easily annoyed by the use of "bad English" or "texting". I don´t understand why people do not exercise a little bit more care in what and how the write. People with a dyslectic condition being excepted, of course.
I do participate in other forums as well, one being a UK-based narrow gauge forum and one being a Swiss forum, specializing in Swiss narrow gauge, both prototype and model railroads. Neither of those two forums appear to have a language issue to the extent I encounter here. It was not that bad when the forums still had a spell check...
I guess I must begin to age.
LION does not read all of the posts by any stretch of the imagination. Him looks at titles to see if it interests him. Him also looks at the time of the posting. Once him gets down into the stale posts him ignores them.
LION not look at all forums just the ones of interest to him.
Him replies hen him thinks him has something to add, or perhaps to make a funny out of.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I read all 4 sections, but only new messages in threads that are of interest. I skip many here in the general and in the layout construction section. So - always make your title intersting if you want people to read it. Jusat saying "Help!" is going to get many people passing it by. Help with what?
Never takes long, there aren't that many new messages per day, and since the font color changes it's easy to see threads with new replies since last time.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
As with others. I read only the threads that interest me which is way less than half. Mostly I look at the MR forums and Classic Toy Trains on Kalmbach's site. I also get digest emails from a few yahoo groups. I check a couple of other forums from time to time.
There's too much to read it all, so I stick with those things that look interesting to me.
Enjoy
Paul
I only read the topics that interest me in the general discussion forums,layout forum and prototype information forum.
Overall my forum activity on this and the other three forums (2 rail one gaming) I'm on has slowed. The reasons vary and includes the lack of interest.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE I only read the topics that interest me in the general discussion forums,layout forum and prototype information forum.
I do the same thing.
I would like to answer the electronic section. I don't because I get lost to read posts.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
When I visit the Model Railroader forums, I normally view the General and Prototype Info, sometimes Layout & Layout Building, and Electronics if the last post topic sounds interesting. I reivew the thread titles, contribute as I can, and post questions (WITH TITLES AS CLEAR AND DESCRIPTIVE AS I CAN - yes, all caps was needed for that statement) from time to time.I doubt anyone who was not a moderator has ever read every single thread in a forum. Sadly it seems threads that I think have potential (although I may not have anything to add at the time) tend to peter out after a few (or no) responses, while threads that are boring to me often get plenty of posts (clearly, someone here is out of step - can't say it isn't me).On the other forums, I do visit Trains magazine General Discussion and Locomotives forum. I have no idea why the trains.com forums exist (is it so anyone can post in them, even if you are not a subscriber?), but considering the activity (or lack thereof) in some of those forum (last post in the Train Simulations forum as of this posting is Feb 17, 2015) seems a lot of other people have no idea why the trains.com forums exist either.
The OP and some of the replies are suggesting that the value of forums is declining overall. I can't speculate on the reasons (although the company seems to be struggling), but the other major forum, sponsored by a manufacturer, was discontinued in 2012. I keep wondering why Kalmbach keeps putting resources into the forums here, which fewer and fewer people seem to find worthwhile, when equivalent resources put into MRVP, which is a quality product that people pay for, would be more productive. Let's keep in mind that the forums are "free", and the posters aren't paid for their contributions. We're all getting what we pay for here.
I generally peruse the first page of the General Discussion forum for threads that might interest me or ones I can contribute to. After that I sometimes look on the Electronics & DCC and Prototype forums but I very rarely frequent the Layouts forum.
I don't feel compelled to read every thread and I've pretty much stopped contributing to the same ones which come up on the forum on an all-too-frequent basis.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
JOHN BRUCE III. . .I keep wondering why Kalmbach keeps putting resources into the forums here, which fewer and fewer people seem to find worthwhile. . .
Not to take this completely off topic, but as a relative novice to the hobby, I have found these forums an invaluable resource.
Richard
chutton01I doubt anyone who was not a moderator has ever read every single thread in a forum. Sadly it seems threads that I think have potential (although I may not have anything to add at the time) tend to peter out after a few (or no) responses, while threads that are boring to me often get plenty of posts (clearly, someone here is out of step - can't say it isn't me).
Even as a moderator I didn't read every thread; nor did I feel compelled to do so. Mostly I just participated as I normally would but kept an eye out for "telltale signs" of a thread gone or going bad.
I totally agree that the more interesting threads (to me) don't seem to get much air time while those which hold little interest seem to go on and on. But...I guess that's the beauty of the forum: Different threads appeal to different members.
One point to make is that there are really good tutorials on MRVP. I don't know if the poster here is a member -- the difficulty I would see as a beginner is that a random "free" answer to a question ("Which is the best HO diesel?" is the kind of thing I see here all too often) is, again, what you're paying for it. MRVP has gone to a lot of effort to produce well-done tutorials, but at this point what I'm hearing is that Kalmbach is competing with itself to offer a "free" product -- in fact, something that probably on balance hurts its image.
Perhaps an organization like the NMRA could offer a "free" forum devoted to novices.
I believe it to be a natural progression that as one learns more, the interest begins its decline thereafter. My personality is to attempt to master something and after a while to seek something else. Some mastery takes me many years, some only a few weeks. I was intensely interested in learning about this hobby and read voraciously for many months. Nowadays, I feel the interest waning and find that I can have fun with my trains without needing to come here or to other hobby forums. Whereas I would spend hours each day, usually spread over five or six sessions, nowadays my hobby forum time, spread across four sites, would amount to maybe twenty minutes.
However, I would be very unhappy to learn that I couldn't come here and ask a pointed question to people who have done what I am contemplating. I also still enjoy reading posts from the 'guyz' whose posts and thoughts I have read over the past decade. I may be in this by myself, locally, but I do like to commune with fellow hobbyists from time-to-time.
The first time my wife catches me rolling my eyes when I read a question from a novice, one that I have seen a couple of dozen times, I hope she gives me a stern lecture. I was there once, and I was met with kindness, fairness, patience, and good will. I hope this will continue on our forum...ours as much as Kalmbach's.
-Crandell
I used to read most of the forums. Now, I'm down to two. I don't post in either one a whole lot and only read the threads that sound interesting. The newness has finally worn off.
Maybe I need to start showing what I'm doing in the weekly thread. It might rekindle my interest!
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
The OP and some of the replies are suggesting that the value of forums is declining overall. I can't speculate on the reasons
In the not so distant past the MRR mag changed the way you could log into the forum. Ever since that happened the new members have dropped way off. I used to see new folks saying hi everyweek. Now I think I have seen two in the last 6 months.
selector The first time my wife catches me rolling my eyes when I read a question from a novice, one that I have seen a couple of dozen times, I hope she gives me a stern lecture. I was there once, and I was met with kindness, fairness, patience, and good will. I hope this will continue on our forum...ours as much as Kalmbach's. -Crandell
In terms of overall virtue, this may be a good thing. If I were Kalmbach, I'd nevertheless be concerned about profiting from the enterprise in order to keep the doors open. One thing I've noticed from recent threads is that a fairly low number of posters even buy or subscribe to the magazine. If people get the impression that they don't need the mag, they can just look at the photo threads and ask questions, eventually Kalmbach won't even be able to maintain the forum.
Second, this forum comes out under the MR logo. I'm concerned that this tends to devalue the work that people like Besougloff, Grivno, Popp, Otte, etc actually produce under the sponsorship of MR. When I go to MRVP, I want to see more, which is one reason I'd prefer that MR redirect forum resources to MRVP. What I'm seeing here is that a significant number of people don't care if they see less on the forum.
Kalmbach, I hope you're paying attention.
JOHN BRUCE IIIWhat I'm seeing here is that a significant number of people don't care if they see less on the forum.
I would sign on to that statement!
I think quite a lot of us will find out what this forum´s value is when it´s gone!
JOHN BRUCE IIIIn terms of overall virtue, this may be a good thing. If I were Kalmbach, I'd nevertheless be concerned about profiting from the enterprise in order to keep the doors open. One thing I've noticed from recent threads is that a fairly low number of posters even buy or subscribe to the magazine. If people get the impression that they don't need the mag, they can just look at the photo threads and ask questions, eventually Kalmbach won't even be able to maintain the forum.
The first thing you are missing is that much of the publishing business is about providing content to attract readers so you can sell advertising. See those ads on the right side of the screen? MR gets paid for those. This forum is a source of virtually free content that MR can use to attract people to see the paid ads.
You can see from Steven Otte's posting patterns that moderating this forum is part of his day job. I'm sure Kalmbach has done the cost/benefit analysis and determined that maintaining this forum is a good business decision.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Actually maybe more thought provoking questions on designing layouts,operation,structure building,kitbashing etc just might start drawing a bigger crowd then the same-o same-o very basic questions that has been ask many times beyond counting..
Of course all the forums I am on has seen a sufficient drop in activity over the last 12-18 months..
There is enough model railroading tutorials on you tube that one doesn't need to ask a question on forums when you can watch how something is done.
carl425 The first thing you are missing is that much of the publishing business is about providing content to attract readers so you can sell advertising. See those ads on the right side of the screen? MR gets paid for those. This forum is a source of virtually free content that MR can use to attract people to see the paid ads. You can see from Steven Otte's posting patterns that moderating this forum is part of his day job. I'm sure Kalmbach has done the cost/benefit analysis and determined that maintaining this forum is a good business decision.
Well, I'm not sure. Most of the ads are in-house for MR -- in old-fashioned print mags, the in-house ads tended to go in space that hadn't been sold to paying advertisers. So I don't know what's up with that. Other ads seem to rotate and are probably part of a package deal with bigger advertisers like Walthers. If I were any of those, I'd be asking Kalmbach questions about what part of my ad results came from these.
Forums that are run by non-commercial individuals or groups don't seem to earn significant money from their ads and must either depend on "angels" or members who donate.I can't imagine this forum does much better. I agree with Brakie that higher-quality threads would improve interest, but at what point do you simply say OK, you want quality, you can subscribe to MRVP (for instance).
A big part of my point, of course, is that Mr Otte babysits this forum as part of his paid employment. If that part of his time could go to MRVP or MR, what would we see instead? I'll bet David Popp has some ideas.
I look over the General Dicussion, Layouts and layout building and Electronics and DCC categories almost every day, and I occassionally venture into the Prototype information section too. I skip topics that cover things outside my era, like how to build a modern locomotive, but most threads get at least a quick look.
I start threads occassionally, mostly to ask questions, and I contribute to threads where I feel I have something to offer. Whether or not that's true sometimes remains to be seen. I don't mind answering newbies' questions, in fact I enjoy sharing what little knowledge I have. I love WPF even though I don't have a lot to contribute most weeks.
As I said in a recent thread, what I don't understand is why more people don't respond to a thread given the number of views that many threads get.
Overall, I think the forums are great.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Waitm, you are saying that the time/money put in this forum is not worthwhile? The content here is user driven, it's not articles that would instead appear in the magazine. There are other volunteer moderators specfically so Mr. Otte doesn't have to babysit the forum all day long. I fail to see how dealing away with the forum would materially improve MR or MRVP, all in all having forum software is generally a low cost item.
Free exchange of ideas between other modelers - I don't even know how you can put a price tag on that.
Here's another question. Would MR pay for any posts or photos here in its print publications? This may be a key to declining interest -- the material isn't that worthwhile, often same old-same old from the same guys every week, in fact posted on two or three other forums at the same time. Why even come here to get the same stuff that's on other forums? On the other hand, why don't, say, Lou Sassi or Pelle Soeborg or other well-known MR authors post here? I assume it's because they value their work too highly to put it up for free.
So why does MR compete with itself with a low-quality product?
I disagree with the basic premise that interest here is declining all that much. It's also summer still and there is always a drop off in model railroading over the summer. Even the print magazines get thinner - and always did, go look back at the old issues on the All Access Pass.
Compete with itself? How is a forum between readers (and plenty of non-readers - not everyone here is a subsciber, nor do you have to be to post here) competing with a magazine format which is "Here is material - take a look" with no two way dialog really possible? Sure you can write a letter to the editor, but that's not two way discourse.
Frankly, if the forum here is that low quality and useless to you, why are you even bothering to comment on this? There are places I don't go because I don't find the content worthwhile, and there are places that have decent content but I don't have the time to manage 3 or 4 different forums, so at some point I had to pick one. That doesn't mean I don't occasionally click a link and read a thread on another forum when it's of interest, I just don't regularly log on to them and scan all their sections.
I'd love to have my layout make it into MR, once I get the new one built. But I know my scenery skills - that's a REAL long shot. But I can share photos here and on my personal web page. Part of what keeps me going is seeing others' less than immaculately perfect work. Does that make my posts inferior to the magazine? If you are grading on how awesome nad finished the layouts look, maybe it is, but does that mean someone can't get anything useful out of information on how I build my layout?
The main section I post in is Electronics and DCC, because that is where I have my highest level of competency. Comapred to a once a month column in the magazine, this section is FAR more useful. I dare say the collective knowledge base in the forum is in some ways superior to the magazine columnist. I've found that true with other publications and forums as well. I'm not saying Dr. Puckett and Mr. Petrarca don't know what they are talking about, but the nature of a magazine column is that it has to be general and address a wide audience. WIth a forum, people can ask specific questions and get specific answers. Inferior content? I don't think so.
John, you have made at least 5 replies, all of which seem to suggest that you would be happier without the forums than with them. You can feel however you want, but I think that you are way off base. These forums are great and they are informative. Kalmbach should be thanked for maintaining the forums, not chastised. Speaking for myself, I thoroughly enjoy these forums, and I visit them several times a day.
R
Alton Junction