5 Years of Forum Fun, Frostiness, and Foison

[ironhorseman]

I believe Trains.com forums is due for a 5 year anniversary. I did some digging for the earliest post and all I found was an arrowhead, a mammoth tusk, and an old Time Magazine. Then I found I was digging in the wrong place. So I got out of a Kansas highway construction zone and onto the internet dug a little more and best I can come up with is January 11, 2001 on the Classic Toy Trains. That’s were I think the very first post is. All the other forums had their 1st posts later that January or early that next February. I had my 1st posts later that spring after the ground thawed and the farmer sent me to work building his fence.

How many here were here in the beginning? How many will be here in the end? How many of you are here right now? If you’re here answer ‘present.’ If you’re present answer ‘here.’ And if you’re hard of hearing blink 3 times. But if you’re blind don’t worry because we can’t see you anyway.

I don’t know that some of us would want to be seen and others have done their best to be obscene. My philosophy: trolls should be obscene and not heard. And cows should be seen in a herd. I could talk with you ‘til the cows come home. On second thought I’d rather talk to the cows and you go home.

Is any of this making any sense? Flowers make scents. The Post Office makes sents. And working at the local grocery store makes no cents at all.

Well, in any since, happy 5-year anniversary forums (for January 2006). I only do this now because I’ll be away on business then, or will I? And speaking of anniversaries, 2006 is the 230th anniversary of the founding of the USA. What year was it? I think it was 1776… yes, 1776: that’s the spirit!

Any comments? Any thoughts? Any questions? Any answers? “…any rags any bottles any bones today? any rags?”

And now “…I must be going. I cannot stay, I came to say I must be going. I'm glad I came, but just the same, I must be going…” (guess who I ripped that off of? I’ll give you hint, “Quote me as being misquoted”)

signed,
ironhorseman the ferrumequestrian

P.S. – (that stands for “Post Script” and I suggest you do that now because you’ve reached the end of this message and I’m all out of ideas! [:p] )
P.P.S – (I could have emailed a site administrator to confirm the actual date but then I probably would’ve got a straight answer and that wouldn’t have been any fun! [:D] )

[Javern]

be nice to hear from some of the old timers who were here to see the birth of trains.com.

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing that's either Groucho Marx or Hawkeye Pierce - big MASH and Marx Brothers fan here [:D] I know it was going well in 2003 because I wouldn't have joined if it had been dead. Joining dead forums is rather like railfanning on a closed line - a lot of expectation but not many results[(-D]

[ironhorseman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Railroading_Brit

I'm guessing that's either Groucho Marx or Hawkeye Pierce - big MASH and Marx Brothers fan here [:D] I know it was going well in 2003 because I wouldn't have joined if it had been dead. Joining dead forums is rather like railfanning on a closed line - a lot of expectation but not many results[(-D]

You are correct, it is Groucho (and me). Watching 6 straight hours of Marx movies will leave a person heavily under the influence. And watching 6 straight hours of a circus will leave a person under heavy elephants. [xx(] [;)]

[Anonymous]

i've only been a member for a short time-- it'd be cool to see what the first post was and who the first member was ,also i see we have close to 200,000 members(195,something) wonder how long before 200,000??????

[MisterBeasley]

Horseman, didn't there used to be four of you? Or maybe I was seeing double, while wearing bi-focals.

[tstage]

When I first started seriously coming on this forum back in May 2004, the amount of posts was somewhere in the 87,000+ range. In the last year and a half, we've mangaged to almost triple that amount. (Currently at 231,620+ posts) That's quite a bit of traffic and increase in that amount of time. Apart from the "Al episode" a few months ago, I trust most of it has been both beneficial and constructive to everyone.

Tom

[cmrproducts]

I joined on Jan 16, 2001.

Learned a lot and what few posts I put on, I hope I helped those that I responded to!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

[ironhorseman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

Horseman, didn't there used to be four of you? Or maybe I was seeing double, while wearing bi-focals.

Just the one and only origional ironhorseman. [:D] Seeing me with bifocals makes 2 times 2 for seeing double you'll get 4.

The other four horseman of the apocolypse haven't arraived yet, thank goodness.

Also there were four horseman of Wichita who 'persuaded' the cattle drivers to turn around on their journey to Newton to the nearest railhead in 1871 and come to Wichita, despite the fact there was NO railhead there at that time. Oh, and no, I was not part of that group. [:p]

[Pruitt]

I've been here since Feb 8th of 2001.

I've asked some questions, helped some folks, shared some pictures, construction techniques and modeling philosophy, chatted just a bit, and even ratted out a few trolls.

For having been around so long my post count is not real high, for two reasons: 1. This forum is not my entire social life, and my time on-line is limited (purposefully, by me), and 2. I don't just gibber when I have nothing to say, just to incrase my post count.

The forum seems to be rather healthy, overall, though there seems to be something of a decline in civility and politeness over the last six months or so.

[Anonymous]

I am presently here.