forum culture

[Doughless]

AEP528

The very first bullet point on the forum rules sticky:

Stay on topic -- model train talk only, please (though civil off-topic discussion is tolerated in the Diner thread).

 

Aye, there's the rub.  Is a response non topical if its still about model trains, just not exactly the topic the OP started?

Although harmless, I think we all agree that pics about lawn tractors and such are not about model trains.....

but how far off is a discussion about sugar cane production from a question about molasses tank cars?  Seems like everybody has their personal level of tolerance that they wish others would follow.

 

[gregc]

Doughless

Is a response non topical if its still about model trains, just not exactly the topic the OP started?

would you mind a rehash of the DC/DCC debate on your molasses thread?

i understand the comment about the DC/DCC debate thread and how it's an example of forum culture, but not a continuation of the debate on this thread.

[SeeYou190]

Doughless

How far off is a discussion about sugar cane production from a question about molasses tank cars?

My information for discussion was about how there are at least four different types of molasses produced in the US, and they all might be handled by different freight cars. I honestly don't know. I have only witnessed molasses loaded onto boxcars in blue 65 gallon drums in the 1990s.

Someone else piped in with "Sucrose is sucrose" and I offered nothing in return about the cleanliness of sugar cane harvesting, milling, or refining. Nor did I get technical about anything.

I was trying to stay at least in the molasses realm.

gregc

Would you mind a rehash of the DC/DCC debate on your molasses thread?

Again, where is this debate? Did I live in the only part of the world where we all agreed DCC was better, but if you were already "in" for DC it might be beneficial for you, as an individual, to stay there?

I never was part of any of these debates. Why was there any debate? DCC is better for a hundred reasons, and DC is only better for three or four.

I do not personally know any model railroader that feels differently.

NOW... as for what color "Brunswick Green" is... that will start a fist-fight around these parts.

-Kevin

[Doughless]

gregc

 

 

Doughless

Is a response non topical if its still about model trains, just not exactly the topic the OP started?

 

 

would you mind a rehash of the DC/DCC debate on your molasses thread?

i understand the comment about the DC/DCC debate thread and how it's an example of forum culture, but not a continuation of the debate on this thread.

 

I generally don't mind things that are easy to ignore. 

Like at any social setting, if the group grows larger and a few crazy old coots start  talking about their good old days, I just grab the guy I was talking to and we continue our convo amongst ourselves.  That's what the quote function is for.

I wouldn't get mad at the other guys, and wouldn't try to tell them to stop and stick to what I want to talk about.  It would just never occur to me to do that.

 Edit:  I get your point about any or all threads being steered towards a few recurring topics.  Eventually the thread gets taken over and fails to resemble what the OP intended.  I think that degree of off topic hijacking happens infrequently, and still a conversation can be had within all of the clutter. 

[Doughless]

SeeYou190

Doughless How far off is a discussion about sugar cane production from a question about molasses tank cars? My information for discussion was about how there are at least four different types of molasses produced in the US, and they all might be handled by different freight cars. I honestly don't know. I have only witnessed molasses loaded onto boxcars in blue 65 gallon drums in the 1990s. Someone else piped in with "Sucrose is sucrose" and I offered nothing in return about the cleanliness of sugar cane harvesting, milling, or refining. Nor did I get technical about anything. I was trying to stay at least in the molasses realm.

No need to explain.  I understand and also appreciate deviating into other aspects of the topic.  If we know how molasses is produced and sold, we can broaden the topic to include other types of rail cars that we might see.

I just pointed out the molasses thread to show how specific questions either go unanswered or can be mistinterpreted and an answer is given that the OP never considered.  But I appreciate all discussions on the topic.

[rrebell]

SeeYou190

 

 

Doughless

How far off is a discussion about sugar cane production from a question about molasses tank cars?

 

 

My information for discussion was about how there are at least four different types of molasses produced in the US, and they all might be handled by different freight cars. I honestly don't know. I have only witnessed molasses loaded onto boxcars in blue 65 gallon drums in the 1990s.

Someone else piped in with "Sucrose is sucrose" and I offered nothing in return about the cleanliness of sugar cane harvesting, milling, or refining. Nor did I get technical about anything.

I was trying to stay at least in the molasses realm.

 

 

gregc

Would you mind a rehash of the DC/DCC debate on your molasses thread?

 

 

Again, where is this debate? Did I live in the only part of the world where we all agreed DCC was better, but if you were already "in" for DC it might be beneficial for you, as an individual, to stay there?

I never was part of any of these debates. Why was there any debate? DCC is better for a hundred reasons, and DC is only better for three or four.

I do not personally know any model railroader that feels differently.

NOW... as for what color "Brunswick Green" is... that will start a fist-fight around these parts.

-Kevin

 

There was no debate on this thread, just an example of culture. Why is it that people who start threads seem to think they own them. You start a thread and try to get an answer or make a statement and then were it goes after that, why do you care? What we need on this forum is more partisipation and not less. Was on another forum that never shut down a thread. One time they were close but desided to let it play out and the thread shortly died of its own accord.

[Doughless]

rrebell

Why is it that people who start threads seem to think they own them. You start a thread and try to get an answer or make a statement and then were it goes after that, why do you care? What we need on this forum is more partisipation and not less.

That's my thought exactly. 

[csxns]

SeeYou190

all might be handled by different freight cars. I honestly don't know. I have only witnessed molasses loaded onto boxcars in blue 65 gallon drums in the 1990s.

Back here in the 80's and 90's when Dixie Yeast was in business their molasses came in shorty tank cars most came in the longer ones in the winter time they heated the tank cars to un load the molasses.

[gregc]

rrebell

You start a thread and try to get an answer or make a statement and then were it goes after that, why do you care?

because i feel is discourages the discussion about the topic

rrebell

What we need on this forum is more partisipation and not less.

what kind of participation?