Changes coming July 12

[Bergie]

As you may have heard by now, Trains.com is going through a complete redesign. The new site will launch sometime during the day on July 12 (most likely late afternoon). If you visit on July 12 and the site isn’t functioning, please be patient. Please note that our reader forums will be down July 10 – 12 as we prepare for the new launch of our site.

Please be sure your current Trains.com profile includes your up-to-date e-mail address as we will e-mail you on July 12 or 13 with details on how to re-register at Trains.com.

We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our site. We’re confident that you’ll be happy with the changes that we’re making and once you’ve gotten used to everything, you’ll be happier than ever before with your experience on our site. We know change can be difficult, but we’re certain you’ll find the change to be worth the effort.

Here’s an overview of the changes:

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS

If you’re a subscriber to Model Railroader, Trains, Classic Toy Trains, Garden Railways, or Classic Trains...

By re-registering at the new Trains.com you will be able to not only keep your Trains.com profile up to date (including your forum profile, e-mail newsletter preferences, etc.), you will also be able to access information about your magazine subscriptions, any special issues or books you have on order, etc.

All your accounts – magazine subscriptions, e-mail newsletters, reader forums – will be tied together in one neat package.

Certain sites will have subscriber-only access areas. You must have a subscription to the magazine in question to access its subscriber-only areas. For example, a subscription to Trains doesn’t get you access to Model Railroader’s subscriber-only content.

Subscriber-only content includes:

Model Railroader: Product reviews will be accessible only by Model Railroader subscribers. The reviews will be posted prior to the magazine being shipped from the printer so you’ll see them before anyone else. Also, subscribers will be able to rate each product and leave feedback about the product (similar to many online retailer sites).

Trains: The Trains News Wire will be accessible only to Trains subscribers.

Classic Toy Trains: Over 300 product reviews and over 75 videos.

Garden Railways: Product reviews and select online extras.

Classic Trains: No subscriber-only content.


NON-MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS / REGISTERED USERS

If you’re not a magazine subscriber you’ll still have plenty to access at the new Trains.com. As in the past, the majority of our content doesn’t require registration.

Registered-users will receive:

Post questions in our reader forum.

Access to our Web cam.

Access to the Index of Magazines (a.k.a. Model Train Index).

Receive any of our four e-mail newsletters.


FORUM USERS

There will be a new forum software platform. However, other than getting familiar with the new bells and whistles, life should go on as normal. Here’s an overview of the changes coming to the forums...

Yes, the current forum content will be moved over in its entirety.

Yes, you will be able to keep your current username, although it will now be referred to as “screen name.” The last step of our re-registration process is unlocking your old forum screen name. (Again, you will receive an e-mail with instructions.) When you go through the process, you’ll be able to unlock your old screen name and get back to business.

Yes, your post count from our current forum will move with you to the new forum.

No, there won’t be stars tied to the number of posts you’ve accumulated. It’s quality over quantity.


PRIVACY

As always, we value the relationship we have with our customers. You won’t receive spam as a result of sharing your e-mail address with us.

[easyaces]

Although the changes are nice, it was not very easy to get signed back in. I was a bit disgusted at having to re-register.

[jfugate]

Bergie:

It appears, for some reason, the search is not very deep. For example, when I search on a topic name that was 10 pages in, the search would not find it.

[Paul W. Beverung]

Bergie: I had trouble getting re-regestered so asked for help. The reply came in about 20 min and I thought it would take maybe tomorrow. Thanks for the quick help. As yo can see I'm back. Now if I can figure out how to get my signature to add automaticlly I'll be happy.

Thanks again.

Paul

the Duluth, Superior, and Southeastern

"The Superior Route"

WETSU

ps I did that manually.

pps. I figured it out. I'm happy. Thanks again

[james saunders]

It looks good bergie, pass on my thanks to all the guys and girls who worked on this.


James

[marknewton]

So far, the new version of the forum does not seem to be an improvement on the old. Many posts are incomplete, whle others appear as a collection of gibberish - html code or something - I'm not a computer geek. I attempted to quote a post in my reply and got the same strings of gibberish. If the problems I'm experiencing are just teething troubles, fair enough. But if it is related to compatibility problems with my choice of platform and software, I'm inclined to give it a miss. Any suggestions?

[james saunders]

I haven't had any of the aforementioned problems, It could just be certain settings on your browser, do you use IE or Firefox, or other? i have IE at home and firefox at work, and have had no problems.

[joeyegarner]

I haven't had any problems either, I registered got my same name back and that was it. Never used search much anyway.As to wether it's better or not haven't had time to make any judgment on that one yet. I think if we all CHILL the buggs will be fixed and we will understand that new programs are always different........aaaaaaa yea, didn't see that one coming. You'll figure it out.

[Anonymous]

So far, the new version of the forum does not seem to be an improvement on the old. Many posts are incomplete, whle others appear as a collection of gibberish - html code or something - I'm not a computer geek. I attempted to quote a post in my reply and got the same strings of gibberish. If the problems I'm experiencing are just teething troubles, fair enough. But if it is related to compatibility problems with my choice of platform and software, I'm inclined to give it a miss. Any suggestions?

 

Hi Mark,

Seems to work for me.  Reckon it's possibly what X suggested.  There's a worry, I can't scroll down to check other posts while tapping out a response.  Sorry mate.  Guy in Brisbane.

Ah, James Saunders.  Sorry James.  Bit of a seniors' moment and could not remember the name.  Couldn't scroll down to read other posts like in the old system.  Had to post then edit.

 

 

[marknewton]

<BLOCKQUOTE><table class="quoteOuterTable"><tr><td class="txt4"><img src="/trccs/Themes/default/images/icon-quote.gif">&nbsp;<strong>james saunders wrote:</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="quoteTable"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="100%" valign="top" class="txt4">I haven't had any of the aforementioned problems, It could just be certain settings on your browser, do you use IE or Firefox, or other? i have IE at home and firefox at work, and have had no problems.</td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Neither. I'm using Mozilla 1.0.2 on a Mac.

Cheers,

Mark.

[modelmaker51]

What happened to the right-click "cut & paste" tools? Most annoying. I am using IE 6.

[CAZEPHYR]

Thank you Bergie for updating the forum and getting it back on line so quickly.   

 

[lvanhen]

I HATE THE NEW FORMAT!!!!!  I deeply resent having to be a subscriber to access certain areas!!  I have not missed an issue of MR or Trains in over 30 years, and go to my local hobby shop to buy them, as well as other products made by your many advertisers.  Let's be fair to everyone!

[Catt]

Cancel my membership bergie this thing stinks.I can't understand why you had to replace  something that wasn't broke in the first place with something that definately is.

[marknewton]

I installed Internet Explorer 5.0, set everything to factory default and tried it - still no improvement. I can't quote the previous message in my reply without it appearing as a string of code gibberish in the thread. I think I'll give this whole "new look" forum a miss in future. As the previous poster noted, the old forum worked...

[Anonymous]

I installed Internet Explorer 5.0, set everything to factory default and tried it - still no improvement. I can't quote the previous message in my reply without it appearing as a string of code gibberish in the thread. I think I'll give this whole "new look" forum a miss in future. As the previous poster noted, the old forum worked...

Hey Mark,

Hang in there mate.  I will miss your expertise if you go. I bet others would too.

This is a test to see if the quote button works.  Looks like it does for me.  Using MS Internet Explorer V 6.0.2900 etc.

 

[jbinkley60]

Two suggestions.  First, add back the image icon for posting images.  Second, add back the spawning of a new browser window when clicking on embedded links.  It is nice to have the link and the original message up so you can easily respond to the link contents.

 

 

 

[MisterBeasley]

I'm noticing a significant performance improvement.  With the old forum, I noticed that the whole system was much slower during the workday, but now it seems to move right along regardless of when I'm looking at it.  And all this time I thought it was the paranoids at my end with their firewalls.

I'll agree with the suggestion that links bring up a new browser window rather than jumping out in the same window.

[MisterBeasley]

How can I look at the member list?  In the old forum, there was a way to click on "members" and that would bring up a screen that let me search through the member list by forum name.  I don't see that feature here.  It looks like I can click on a member's name in a post, but if the member hasn't posted for a while, how can I find his/her profile?  Thanks.