hon30critterI have absolutely no problem with so called 'necro-posting' (horrible term!!).
Nor do I. In fact, sometimes an old thread will come up that I participated in and it gives me a chance to edit and replace the ever-present "photo no longer available" message thanks to: Photobucket!
I believe the longevity of this forum is one of its attributes and dusting off an old post doesn't hurt anyone.
I hope my local library doesn't decide to eliminate books that they deem to be "too old".
Cheers, Ed
Let me be clear: I have no, zero problem with resurrecting a topic.
My references were more to dead topics on other forums (specifically the Atlas Rescue Forum and the original Atlas forum) where certain threads degenerated into some nasty name-calling. Even when brought back from the dead, since emails and posts are forever, the nastiness continued, to the point that imo new people were actually in some instances taking sides, and snarky, sarcastic remarks were made well after the fact, by people who certainly did not have all the facts. There were at least some decent people who got mad and left.
Here it has generally, usually but not always, been more civilized.
However, since I have a personal issue with one frequent poster here, I'm just done.
Sorry for any confusion.
Best wishes to all; may you find the answers you are looking for.
John
FWIW:
I have absolutely no problem with so called 'necro-posting' (horrible term!!). Quite often it is done by a new member who doesn't yet understand all of the details of how the forums work. Shooting them down because they have revived an old thread is just plain arrogant.
I also have no problem with anyone who asks a question that could be answered by searching previous threads. This is a discussion forum. The whole idea is for us to talk to each other! Asking others to share their expertise is what the whole thing is all about! We all know how ineffective the MR search engine is. I choose to converse with my fellow modellers rather than spending time trying to sift through countless unrelated search findings.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
One other aspect to consider, is that there are so many forums around covering so many different aspects of the hobby.
Ron
A more organized and accessible data base including things like the freight cars of the 70's in the newest mag issue would be awesome
SeeYou190 Kevin--That was a veiled reference to another forum that I didn't want to name here and call them out. John PRR8259 Also--my interests just run toward ALL steam (maybe I'm one of the last of those dinosaurs), so there is just nothing at all for me to gain from certain forums that have become virtually all diesel all the time. I have never had the impression this forum is virtually all diesel all the time. -Kevin
Kevin--That was a veiled reference to another forum that I didn't want to name here and call them out.
PRR8259 Also--my interests just run toward ALL steam (maybe I'm one of the last of those dinosaurs), so there is just nothing at all for me to gain from certain forums that have become virtually all diesel all the time.
I have never had the impression this forum is virtually all diesel all the time.
-Kevin
I'm a recent joiner, joined after being lead multiple times here googling questions I have. I've found most people to be willing and helpful. Threads seem to wander occasionally. I do think it should be a lot easier to post photos.
Billwizafter the whipping from one member, I got help from another
I have sent a PM often to individuals I know can answer a question and have got the help I needed that way. Sometimes running the grumpy old man gauntlet just isn't worth it, so PMs it is.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I read this forum often through the week. While I have only met one participant, some of you are almost friends. I don't always post, unless I feel I can add something, or if I have a question that I know you can answer. Besides the one thing I'm truly an "expert" in is verbotten on this forum (and rightly so) - I'm a theologian and a pastor.
I've been on the recieving end of the "you should know better" responses, I've had a member reach out to me to apologize for another's response, and I've had members who helped me in many ways. My first DCC conversion (not plug and play) had an issue and after the whipping from one member, I got help from another (who helps everyone with DCC questions - I printed out his answer and it sits in a DCC file). The wealth of knowledge on this forum is incredible and is a welcome addition to the hobby.
I add my thanks to our hosts.
Partisipation is key in a forum. No partisipation no forum. They get revenue here from ads and from selling content. They are making the ads work to some extent but if partisipation drops off and the veiw drops off and then the ads will too. It is a fine balancing act. Which I feel they have not fully fiqured out yet though they are trying. But I must say sometimes the overseers of the forum treat us like hobby shops do which has not been good in my life. I am often times realy getti ng into a thread only to have them say the subject has been covered, move along, many times before I even have time to comment on something because I wished to make sure all my ducks were in a row.
Decline in usage, based on fact or a guess? I understand where you are coming from but if Kalmbach keeps track of satistics and feel the forum is a money loser a good business operation would shut it down.
My feeling is this forum is within parameters set by a bean counter at Kalmbach and it's ok but not enough to have new software, no matter the costs.
Other forums I attend since March 26th when the Governor of Wisconsin rightly closed the state have risen with many more attendees. No actual proof of statistics. Since reopening across the nation in Mid-June I feel visits to the forums are coming down. I presume to think it is because many readers are back to work.
Facebook, scary to many but not if precautions no different then normal online visits if taken. If you don't have anti-virus it doesn't matter where you go, it is Dangerous. Don't accept friends, do not read the occasional add that pops up. Facebook has so much to offer Model Railroaders and is a great resource you are missing. But, I am not trying to convert you, you have your opinions and that is fine. If you like to read adds, you don't belong online, IMO.
Don't keep beating at a free forum on how its corporate sponsor treats you. You might get you desire and Kalmbach closes this forum!
Tom
Sorry, but I refuse to ever join FB. Here, If it's not on the fora, I ask. If I get an answer, great. If not, I try the other I belong too.
If it's not on either, I guess I don't need it.
If this forum ended, I would be left to one, which is not much different activity wise. I would still refuse FB.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Absolutely nothing wrong with bringing up old threads. There's a different mix of people here now than whenever that old thread and replies were first posted, so lots of potential for an old thread to go new and interesting places.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I come here every day. I may not actively participate, but I have learned much over the years.
I think Kevin's idea about Kalmbach employees dropping by is a good one. I got to meet Gordon Odegard when he visited my club in Dallas in the mid 80's; and I met Andy Sperandeo at a trade show in 1997. What was probably a "meh" experience for Gordon and Andy was inspiring to me.
I get it why some people dont like face book but one thing is for sure, there is a ton of hobby content there. Its very easy to post photos. Lots of specialized groups. However within a group, its not very searchable, not very organized. Good or bad, its very "in the moment".
I quit posting on my layout build thread here because its a pain to post photos. Kudos to those still posting photos.
I think it would be cool if Kalmbach took all this great content now buried here and created a searchable organized wiki. An online encyclopedia of model railroading generated by the community. Maybe they would allow some proven dedicated volunteers to help.
rrinkerNot to mention, those that don't particularly like a certain brand don't just blast it - they offer alternatives.
Randy, Thanks to that Genesis SCL GP9 I would be hard press to buy another Genesis engine of any kind even though I would like a Topeka Cab GP7u. OTOH my Grandson buys them and never have any major issues. All of my Athearn RTR engines except for one CR SW1500(badly warp handrails and cockeyed headlight) was perfect.
Some of my Athearn FMC boxcars had 2-3 of their stirrups laying the the car's tray. My Cadiz FMC boxcar A end truck fell off when I removed it from the tray... The assembler forgot to use a 2-56 screw!
Still I bought several more RTR FMC per diem boxcars after the Cadiz car and the QC/QA seemed improved..
Who knows maybe I will roll the dice on that Genesis GP7u at the right price?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
maxman PRR8259 Regarding these forums, I complained to the moderator regarding one specific person, and I was told that although that person can indeed be extremely difficult to get along with, they were not going to moderate the situation. Only one?
PRR8259 Regarding these forums, I complained to the moderator regarding one specific person, and I was told that although that person can indeed be extremely difficult to get along with, they were not going to moderate the situation.
Only one?
Not to mention, those that don't particularly like a certain brand don't just blast it - they offer alternatives. At least the posts I've seen.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
PRR8259Regarding these forums, I complained to the moderator regarding one specific person, and I was told that although that person can indeed be extremely difficult to get along with, they were not going to moderate the situation.
Sorry, I'll try to do better.
I am enjoying this discussion as it is offering up food for thought.
PRR8259Also--my interests just run toward ALL steam (maybe I'm one of the last of those dinosaurs), so there is just nothing at all for me to gain from certain forums that have become virtually all diesel all the time.
Living the dream.
garyaOld threads just appear again on the front page.
I have no objection to new information in a thread, no matter how old it is.
Telling "Anonymous" that you also use caulk, to afix your track ten years later, is not new information.
garyathey just end in the middle-
Absolutely that happens. When it does and the OP reappears he starts a brand new thread. Everyone has to play catch up.
Maybe it's my choice, in what groups I follow, but it seems even more common in Groups.io. SOP is for some OP's to start a new thread for every reply. None of the threads have strayed far from the intial post.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
SeeYou190 We do need to bemore accepting of the new people asking the same questions that were asked before. We should welcome them, answer the question, and let them feel part of the group. I have no problem with any old threads coming back. I enjoy them. -Kevin
We do need to bemore accepting of the new people asking the same questions that were asked before. We should welcome them, answer the question, and let them feel part of the group.
I have no problem with any old threads coming back. I enjoy them.
I think there are a couple of reasons necro threads come back:
As far as being more accepting, probably the best thing to do is model good behavior. There are several active members of the forum who do that, and, unfortunately, several who do not.
Gary
I'm not here to defend Facebook, as I don't like their censorship..., but the honest truth is there actually ARE threaded discussions, just like here. One joins a group dedicated to your particular model train interest (there are a ton of different model train groups on Facebook--at least 4 just for brass models and brass collectors and different aspects of brass model paint and repair--for example). Then one posts a question, thought or topic, and other people reply with comments accordingly. Sometimes they just "like" the photos or individual comments made. The ONLY real difference between Facebook and here is that it's a whole lot easier to upload photos over there. Therefore, people doing "How To" posts have a much more simplistic, faster, easier time of it.
Regarding these forums, I complained to the moderator regarding one specific person, and I was told that although that person can indeed be extremely difficult to get along with, they were not going to moderate the situation. They think the person contributes some value despite sometimes being a total pain where a pill won't reach. If one still believes in "free speech"...well you relatively speaking still do have that here.
However, I have no plans to continue here, and asked that my account be closed, which apparently isn't that simple to do, the moderator may not have access to do that, and it's easier to just "not participate".
If I sound bitter, well going on other forums and reading snide, sarcastic comments that clearly seem to pertain to things that actually happened years ago does kinda remind one that email (and forum posts) actually live forever. There seem to be "new" people who weren't even involved in the original discussions now taking sides, but they obviously have no clue what they are talking about. I have no need to interact with them in any way, and the comments about arguing with idiots have been duly noted.
Also--my interests just run toward ALL steam (maybe I'm one of the last of those dinosaurs), so there is just nothing at all for me to gain from certain forums that have become virtually all diesel all the time.
Best wishes to all of you for happy model railroading, or collecting, or railfanning, or whatever it is that you choose to do.
Unless they add a vastly different feature, Facebook will never replace a dedicate forum. It just doesn't operate ont he same model. There are really no threaded discussions.
I used to be on two other MR forums in addition to this one, but I was spending all my time reading and responding to messages and not enough actually modeling. I basically just dropped off the other two.
I'm on one other forum on a regular basis (I get email digests from a bunch oof DCC and other model railroad related groups from groups.io), that one being an electronics forum. Is their software better than what's here? By light years. BUT - it's ONLY a forum, all the other stuff associated with the site required customized development. The issue remains here that the entire web site and content delivery is integrated, and so they can;t just plop in any forum software no matter how much better it would be. ANd once you're tied to an ecosystem - I suspect the one they chose way back when has not become a powerhouse in the iundustry and it very late with updates, especially outside of the content delivery side. Junking it all and switching requires a signifdicant expenditure, both of money and time to copy all the contend. With print media a dying breed, I doubt it's a priority expediture for Kalmbach. Remember this is NOT just for Model Railroader, it covers all their publications. And IT staff? What IT staff?
Not an excuse - reality. Had they chosen differently in the past, this might be a non-issue. But hindsight is 20/20.
Edit: And this is why I love the software my electronics forum uses - it tells you if someone posts a reply while you were composing yours, and allows you to see the additional replies. So, re the necroposting - I've never understood the absolute hatred some people have for this. IF the new post is adding more information. We're talking here about a hobby where concepts from 60 years ago are still valid, there's not a lot of genuinely new stuff, and there is a HUGE bias against people even trying new methods in this hobby. Yet if someone replies to an old post and adds something, the responses are all "well, I hope by now the OP has solved the problem" as if the OP is the ONLY person to ever experience the issue they posted about. Now, to post at the bottom of a 6 year old thread and say "I have the same problem - help me!" is just lazy, read the old thread, there likely was a solution given. Posting "I had the same problem, but xxxx's suggestion solved it" is a useful addition.
restoratorThat combined with the decades of information already gathered here leaves less need to make a post. I must say I would have asked innumerable questions but they were often already answered so I did not need to ask.
That's a good point.
York1 John
I have to say that a large number of responses to posts complain about the OP asking a question in the first place and advise them to do a search because that was answered over and over again starting back in 2005. And then if someone adds to a post on an old thread they are sometimes admonished for necroposting. You cant win. That combined with the decades of information already gathered here leaves less need to make a post. I must say I would have asked innumerable questions but they were often already answered so I did not need to ask.Research and advice forums such as this can become a victim of their own success, but just because there are fewer new posts, does not necessarily mean there are fewer people reading them.
selectorEach of us makes careful, but also emotional, choices in this hobby, and we don’t like hearing others tear them down about running qualities, incorrect details, mismatched paints compared to Brand A’s truly excellent and accurate version (which they just happen to own).
All of that is good to know before buying a locomotive especially at today's prices and I stopped buying locomotives by "eye candy" advertisment photos.
IMHO there is nothing like a wrong shade of (say) Chessie's Vermillion Yellow or a (say) a B&O GP9 numbered for a exC&O GP9 without the C&O details like bell mounted on the short hood and the Chessie C logo on the short hood. The B&O Geeps had either the capitol dome or the Chessie C logo on the end of the long hood.
OTOH if a 70'11" PCF RBL boxcar is only 70' 10" or maybe 71' I am willing to overlook that scale inch since I can't see a scale inch anyway.
In either case with this information in hand a modeler can decide if either model fits their modeling styles..
Like some others, this is the only online forum I read or post to.
I am an ex-Facebook user. I didn't like Facebook deciding what I should see or read.
This forum is like a friend to me. I don't mind some of the threads that involve general topics.
Every-so-often, I get sucked into a political discussion or something else, and I later regret doing so. I'm glad the moderators keep those discussions off the model railroad side of the forum.
It's free, I like the format, I like the topics, I like the help I can get, and I appreciate Kalmbach providing this for us.
I have been here 17 years and like this forum. It is friendly and has alot of very knowledgeable people. I remember years ago we had a troll that was hard to get rid of, this person cussed everyone on here. Also I used to see "regulars" as in the same people everyday like "Space Mouse", "BigBoy4-8-8-4" and some others. I agree with this being somewhat seasonal, but I am old school and enjoy this place.