Folks Leaving...Why?????

[Anonymous]

The part that bothers me is that althought I have came back to the forums, I haven't gone back to my layout. [:(] I seem 'not intrested' in going and starting more work on it. I enjoy this forum however just talking to other Model Railroaders. I also am a Hot Wheels collector and Scale Auto builder. Same thing happened as here, I became not intrested in Scale model building and left the forum. I had alot of friends I made and returned to the forum, but not building. I do enjoy Hot Wheels collecting however. Maybe I'll just give myself sometime[:)]

[Anonymous]

I enjoy this Forum a lot, but found that I was personally spending way too much time on this site, as well as on other Forums. And I wasn't getting any modeling done either, because I have just so much time to commit to my hobbies, for I'm also remodeling and re-landscaping a house, have started both a resin casting and a woodworking business this year, finishing off a basement (for my layout and shop), fixing my son's car, spending time w/ the wife, and all sorts of things competing for my time. I used to post a lot and enjoyed the sharing of info, and have gained some great new insight into this hobby as a result of fellow Forum members. I've also made some new friends and aquaintances by being here.

However, I stepped back and took a deep breath and backed away from daily posting, or even just looking, following an unfortunate flaming by a to be left un-named Forum member that represents the negative side of most any Forum. That the attack was unwarranted, off base, and frankly mean and rather immature (considering the age of the flamer), became an incredibly rotten experience, and I had to ask myself -"why shouild I continue to expose my opinions and get flamed by ugly people"? It wasn't fun, informative, helpful, or worth dealing with. . . So, I've backed way off in my participation on this Forum. It's the old adage - a few rotten apples spoil the bushel (or something close to that). . .Ididn't want repeats of that experience to spoil my passion for this hobby.

Also, the almost insane fervor raised over the UP licensing issue (UP can and did what they can legally do, correct?), the Lionel/MTH lawsuit (Lionel did break the law didn't they?), the acquisition of Athearn and MDC Roundhouse by Horizon (their right to purchase a business up for sale, and to run it the way they see fit, agreed?), and ad nauseum. All the threats, screaming, name calling, ugly language, and so on by ALL age groups is way too much akin to 'real life', and I do not desire to waste my limited time being bombarded by such nonsense. Can I just ignore it ? Sure, but why hang out at a Forum that has increasingly gotten worse in that respect? I feel the moderators should step in immediately when that nonsense occurs, and send an email to the offending parties reminding them what is the intent of this Forum. And that is not an infringement of 'free speech' - it's just common decency and responsible behavior.

Have I also retreated from model RRing ? - Hardly, and I'm more involved and more committed than anytime in the past fifty years. Hopefully some things will change here, but I'll wait and see.
BILL

[retsignalmtr]

i have been a model rairoader on and off since my parents gave me an american flyer set when i was 3 yrs old. i put the trains away for a while but i always came back. i thought that after being a signal maintainer for the NYCTA for 31 years that i would not want to see another train after i retired 5 yrs ago. but now i'm building what i have always wanted to do. i am not rushing around doing everything at once which may help to prevent burnout.
just because some older modelers have to give up their layouts to move to a nursing or assisted living homes doesn't mean that they are giving up totally. there are probably many nursing homes that would like to have a small operating layout for the entertainment of theie residents. posibly being built and maintained by a club or some individuals.

[Anonymous]

That's a neat idea !

[boomer5344]

Several other forum members including myself were put off by all the endless MTH
bashing. There are too many off topic polls. But here I am.

[philnrunt]

As a friend once told me-" I don't do this instead of, I do this in addition to." It took me awhile to fully appreciate what he was saying, but Bill and others said it too- there is only so much time to get all of the things done needed, and this forum does take time to keep up with.
I'm one of the lucky ones, I can do most of my posting at work during slow midnight shifts(its like getting paid to do it!), but many do not have that choice. And, once something like what Bill mentioned happens, you do wonder what the heck you're spending time here for. I was actually threatened by a forum member, but 30 years in police work made his threat seem pretty lame. At the time, I was new to forums , so I didn't know if this type of thing went on alot or not, so I asked some of my "posse"- Bill, Ed and a few others that I consider close, and they gave me good advice on what to do, but I could see how if this had happened to someone they could decide that this was not the place to spend their time.
There are so many things wanting our time these days, this forum is a great place to visit but it can be put aside rather quickly when more pressing things arise. But the people I've met here, the ideas I've read here, they will always be with me, and that is why I keep coming back here.

[eastcoast]

[2c] I often find that I get bored of the forum once in a while.
At that time I spend more energy on my railroad. Now that
season is out ( winter ) my trainroom is colder and gets to
be uncomfortable to work in. So, I come here until March..ish.
Then, It's back to downstairs I go. I feel that many are the same,
and will be back eventually. I do come on and just READ at times
and not post for long periods. I do not wi***o delete myself but
will be back when I can.[|)]

[tomytuna]

Any one think that maybe their working on their layout instead of comming to forums?....lol...
...oh well..back to the layout...Tom

[ericsp]

For those of you who have seen "The Three Amigos":
"I am still here El Guapo!"

[CP5415]

I only stopped coming here after my puppy arrived. As until recently, I haven't had time to even surf the www not alone post on a forum.
Puppy's are large time investors!
To understand just how big of an adjustment it was, I never had the chance to stop by my LHS in almost three weeks. That for me was a record as I've managed to stop by during my lunch at least one day a week for the past 2 years.
Oh well, I'm still here.
I'm not leaving

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Well, im kind of a newbie. stumbled onto this web forum. havnt posted much but i love to read and learn from others. i guess i dont post much due to not knowing alot [:)] i think kids especially today are getting lost into video games and other forms of entertainment but they dont develope an actual hobby. i used to be a big gammer but im burnt out on it and wanted something else i could actually enjoy so i started with railroading.

[bluepuma]

Some of us drop in now and then with questions, but don't want to get involved is some discussions. I like real trains, but don't feel any burning need to go see them, have mostly seen what is traveling the BNSF and UP tracks within a days run of North Central Illinois. Had to go watching a while to see though.

Oddly, it was a move and new wife that got me interested in MRR and doing that layout I promised myself when I put my N scale on the shelf back in '70. Just hope I get enough years to do my layout and use all the stuff I've bought since.

Over the years, got a lot of other toys that I never had time to play with properly, but model trains has given me a lot of learning. Used to check the Model rail mags in the bookstore, but nothing really rang my bell.

If it wasn't for online stores for N scale, good articles in MRR on N, good equipement from Kato, MT, Atlas... I'd have dropped out. Disgust at not being able to get the models wanted or the space to build a layout beyond the Lionel set I had as a kid with extra track. Used to work with a guy who was into HO and brass, he belonged to a club in Alhambra, CA, never saw him with his own layout tho. Last thing I saw him run was his computer with games. Never showed me all his stuff.

[Anonymous]

A fellow on here really got to me a week or so ago. In an angry moment I pulled my name off of the list! I thought it stupid to put up with my own and other peoples foolishness and so I stopped for a while. I cooled down and re-joined. The internet can be a frustrating place. You don't see or know whom you are talking to, you know nothing about them and so it is easy enough to flame them if you think there opinion is stupid!

I've tried not to be on here as much as I was previous to this incidence. I think I was wasting time and maybe thinking to hard about what I was going to say.

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: DeSchane: A fellow on here really got to me a week or so ago. In an angry moment I pulled my name off of the list! .... I cooled down and re-joined.

I was wondering why you'd actually deleted your registration instead of merely stopping posting. Guess I now know why.

Glad you came back. You've always been one of the better contributors, and have written very informative responses.

Ed