rrnut282 wrote: I don't know if my start date qualifies me as a charter member, but here goes:Murphy, As long as they remain civil and go point and counter point without the oh,yeah, what about... stuff it can be very interesting and informative.
I don't know if my start date qualifies me as a charter member, but here goes:
Murphy, As long as they remain civil and go point and counter point without the oh,yeah, what about... stuff it can be very interesting and informative.
I'm a big fan of all those on this forum that allow me to learn more about my hobby. Nothing beats getting a lesson from someone who understands the subject well enough to explain it to another interested party. The flipside of that, is the guy who can only say "That's the right answer, because I say so!". While it may certainly be the right answer, if the guy is that sure of himself, he ought to be able to at least defend his opinion. Either way, it's all good.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy Siding wrote: Convicted One wrote: Murphy Siding wrote: Do you then go over to political forums, and try to *recruit* people who are "on the fence" about railroads, to come over to this forum? Rather than admonish you about the politics thing, I'd simply suggest the following. Right now, nasty,nasty politics is embedded in just about everything around us. Just about everything that involves 2 or more voters turns into an ugly us verses them political battle. Why is it asking too much, to keep this forum focused on trains? Statistically speaking, I probably disagree with 50% of the posters, on any given political issue. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy discussing trains with them. Can't we leave it at that?Actually, I do spend a fair amount of time butting heads at politically oriented forums which makes the assertions of fear somehow being an inhibiting factor, laughable. I guess that certain types just like to imply fear as a motive of their chosen opponents, as a means to stroke themselves. Exactly!! that pretty much is the alpha and the omega of it all, since politics is an inseperable part of just about any meaningful event, why play the ostrich gambit forcing head in the sand?But, it shouldn't have to, there are many clever people an this forum, and surely they are sophisticated enough to realize that differences of opinion are not only natural, but they are healthy. And merely because someone else feels differently is no absolute deteminant that one party is necessarily right, while the other is necessarily wrong. I think perhaps the failing is the obsession in seeing everything in a "good guys " vs "bad guys" frame of reference, where everyone who believes as (editorially) I do are necessarily "good guys" while all those opposed are necessarily the "bad guys", and that is simply saturday afternoon matinee type thinking.I frequently see discussion here which I would rather not participate in, so guess what I do? I close the thread and ignore it. I fail to see why not everyone can be likewise tolerant. This business of 'hey, I disagree with what is being said, so I'm going to provoke the moderators to close the door to free thinking" sucks . (profanity, vulgarity, threats, personally targeted attacks, comments of an explicit sexual nature, or solicitations to commit illegal acts, of course, being the welcome exception) I guess there will always be that element that runs to an automobile accident to gawk, only to immediately turn and complain about how horrible it all was...but you don't see them outlawing automobiles simply as an appeasement to that minority All good points, although the colors make it about impossible to read. The forums I follow about trains, dirt track car racing, and local/national news have all turned into political hissing matches. I've given up on several already, that have turned into political sewers, where a comment on the weather can turn into the nuclear war equivilent of a political hissing match. I'd hate to see this forum stoop to that level. For that reason, I try to leave my political views out of it. As an example, some time back, a long time poster left after a political firefight. Later, said poster reappeared under a new name(s). I PM'd the guy, and asked if he'd consider coming back to the forum, as he is/was an interesting poster to interact with. What did I get for my troubles? I got blasted with both barrels for I don't know what reason. Do we really need any more animosity among posters, for no reason at all? Bottom line is this, as this is my hobby, I'd prefer it to be a good get-away place from politics, and other earth-shattering debates like light beer verses dark beer. Anybody want to talk about trains? ( Apologies to the poster who started this thread. I've come to appreciate all the posters on this forum, especially those *old timers* who have been around here since long before I came. )
Convicted One wrote: Murphy Siding wrote: Do you then go over to political forums, and try to *recruit* people who are "on the fence" about railroads, to come over to this forum? Rather than admonish you about the politics thing, I'd simply suggest the following. Right now, nasty,nasty politics is embedded in just about everything around us. Just about everything that involves 2 or more voters turns into an ugly us verses them political battle. Why is it asking too much, to keep this forum focused on trains? Statistically speaking, I probably disagree with 50% of the posters, on any given political issue. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy discussing trains with them. Can't we leave it at that?Actually, I do spend a fair amount of time butting heads at politically oriented forums which makes the assertions of fear somehow being an inhibiting factor, laughable. I guess that certain types just like to imply fear as a motive of their chosen opponents, as a means to stroke themselves. Exactly!! that pretty much is the alpha and the omega of it all, since politics is an inseperable part of just about any meaningful event, why play the ostrich gambit forcing head in the sand?But, it shouldn't have to, there are many clever people an this forum, and surely they are sophisticated enough to realize that differences of opinion are not only natural, but they are healthy. And merely because someone else feels differently is no absolute deteminant that one party is necessarily right, while the other is necessarily wrong. I think perhaps the failing is the obsession in seeing everything in a "good guys " vs "bad guys" frame of reference, where everyone who believes as (editorially) I do are necessarily "good guys" while all those opposed are necessarily the "bad guys", and that is simply saturday afternoon matinee type thinking.I frequently see discussion here which I would rather not participate in, so guess what I do? I close the thread and ignore it. I fail to see why not everyone can be likewise tolerant. This business of 'hey, I disagree with what is being said, so I'm going to provoke the moderators to close the door to free thinking" sucks . (profanity, vulgarity, threats, personally targeted attacks, comments of an explicit sexual nature, or solicitations to commit illegal acts, of course, being the welcome exception) I guess there will always be that element that runs to an automobile accident to gawk, only to immediately turn and complain about how horrible it all was...but you don't see them outlawing automobiles simply as an appeasement to that minority
Murphy Siding wrote: Do you then go over to political forums, and try to *recruit* people who are "on the fence" about railroads, to come over to this forum? Rather than admonish you about the politics thing, I'd simply suggest the following. Right now, nasty,nasty politics is embedded in just about everything around us. Just about everything that involves 2 or more voters turns into an ugly us verses them political battle. Why is it asking too much, to keep this forum focused on trains? Statistically speaking, I probably disagree with 50% of the posters, on any given political issue. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy discussing trains with them. Can't we leave it at that?
Rather than admonish you about the politics thing, I'd simply suggest the following. Right now, nasty,nasty politics is embedded in just about everything around us. Just about everything that involves 2 or more voters turns into an ugly us verses them political battle. Why is it asking too much, to keep this forum focused on trains? Statistically speaking, I probably disagree with 50% of the posters, on any given political issue. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy discussing trains with them. Can't we leave it at that?
Actually, I do spend a fair amount of time butting heads at politically oriented forums which makes the assertions of fear somehow being an inhibiting factor, laughable. I guess that certain types just like to imply fear as a motive of their chosen opponents, as a means to stroke themselves.
Exactly!! that pretty much is the alpha and the omega of it all, since politics is an inseperable part of just about any meaningful event, why play the ostrich gambit forcing head in the sand?
But, it shouldn't have to, there are many clever people an this forum, and surely they are sophisticated enough to realize that differences of opinion are not only natural, but they are healthy. And merely because someone else feels differently is no absolute deteminant that one party is necessarily right, while the other is necessarily wrong. I think perhaps the failing is the obsession in seeing everything in a "good guys " vs "bad guys" frame of reference, where everyone who believes as (editorially) I do are necessarily "good guys" while all those opposed are necessarily the "bad guys", and that is simply saturday afternoon matinee type thinking.
I frequently see discussion here which I would rather not participate in, so guess what I do? I close the thread and ignore it. I fail to see why not everyone can be likewise tolerant.
This business of 'hey, I disagree with what is being said, so I'm going to provoke the moderators to close the door to free thinking" sucks . (profanity, vulgarity, threats, personally targeted attacks, comments of an explicit sexual nature, or solicitations to commit illegal acts, of course, being the welcome exception)
I guess there will always be that element that runs to an automobile accident to gawk, only to immediately turn and complain about how horrible it all was...but you don't see them outlawing automobiles simply as an appeasement to that minority
I'd hate to see this forum stoop to that level. For that reason, I try to leave my political views out of it.
As an example, some time back, a long time poster left after a political firefight. Later, said poster reappeared under a new name(s). I PM'd the guy, and asked if he'd consider coming back to the forum, as he is/was an interesting poster to interact with. What did I get for my troubles? I got blasted with both barrels for I don't know what reason. Do we really need any more animosity among posters, for no reason at all?
Bottom line is this, as this is my hobby, I'd prefer it to be a good get-away place from politics, and other earth-shattering debates like light beer verses dark beer.
Anybody want to talk about trains?
( Apologies to the poster who started this thread. I've come to appreciate all the posters on this forum, especially those *old timers* who have been around here since long before I came. )
Let me get the off-topic out of the way first, Murphy...What dirt car site do you post on? I can't find many good ones. Send me an e-mail if you want to keep us from getting flamed for not talking trains. But there are parallels. They both make a lot of noise, shake the ground and stink!
I won't claim to be one of the charter members, but I'm an old timer who got mad at some people (some are still here), would quit, come back, get mad and quit, come back...you get the picture. I've always appreciated most of the people who have answered this thread and who have been here a long time...ed, mookie, tree 68, eloafan, modelcar, murphy siding and the rest of you who know who you are.
But it's just not as fun as it used to be. They say sites like this (in general, not just this one, don't start...) aren't as active. There must be something others are going to for their fun on the computer.
But I still log on every day, answer occasionally, and see what those of you who know a heck of a lot more than me have to say.
I wonder what happened to that kid who got on here for a while. The guy who wrote in caps and finally said something like shut the h*** up.
m
Been here a while, on and off. Don't really remember when I started. Left for a time and came back.
Interesting to see how few of us "Old Heads" are left...
LC
....miketx: Thanks....
Quentin
To everyone, thanks for your replies. I'd like to here from those of you who have been here since 2002 and 2003, hence the subject title change. What's your 3 cents?
miketx wrote: I wonder what happened to that kid who got on here for a while. The guy who wrote in caps and finally said something like shut the h*** up.
Are you thinking of Lotus098, from Idaho? I don't think he's posted since Dec 2006.
cprted wrote:Not to toot my own whistle, but I joined on day 5. According to the member stats, there are only 14 members who joined before me who have posted within the last 365 days. So la di da!I don't really remember what it was like back when it was new. I wasn't an active participant for very long back then, or even now really.
Consider it "tooted."
.....I had forgotten about Lotus098.....Wonder what made his attitude so bad so early in life. Someone kicked his cane very early.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 wrote:Had to dig through my files to find where I'd stuck this classic list of folks on the forum at the time.
Oh my! thats going back aways, LOL I hadn't the chance to save that last time, got it this time...Thanks!
Have fun with your trains
7.5 years and only 360 posts--I think that qualifies you as a 'lurker'.
I've been here over seven years and still haven't reached 1,000 posts. Still, I wonder what happened to some of the posters that used to make it interesting (whatever happened to Anti-Gates or another guy whose name totally escapes me now, the Old Railroader or some such thing)?
I guess the low total of posts makes me a semi-lurker.
ValleyX wrote:Still, I wonder what happened to some of the posters that used to make it interesting (whatever happened to Anti-Gates or another guy whose name totally escapes me now, the Old Railroader or some such thing)?
TheAntiGates is still around, using two other names, one of which is Dweezil.
Old Timer/Ol' Ed has not posted in about one year, and I think his last article in Trains was in the August 2006 issue.
.....Dale:
That's a new one on me.....Did not know "Old Timer" had articles in TRAINS.....But I have been wondering about him...
Assume then that I've read them and didn't know it.
Modelcar wrote: Assume then that I've read them and didn't know it.
Q, do you remember an article about a man going to Strasburg and operating a N&W 4-8-0?
I guess I too could be considered an early joiner. I think I found out about the forum because I'm a subscriber and Trains either mentioned it in the magazine or sent e-mails. Can anyone recall?
In the first year or so this forum seemed pretty inactive, as I recall.
......No Dale, can't say that I remember that one....but I've visited the Strasburg....Rode their RR.
eastside wrote: In the first year or so this forum seemed pretty inactive, as I recall.
...until the dread M&M boys showed up. Then it got shall we say...interesting?
Although my "Joined On" date would seem to indicate that I've been here for awhile, I actually didn't start posting in the fora until about 3 or 4 years ago. I think one of the biggest changes I've seen since I've hung around here is the sort of constant change in the demographics of the forum goers. There are definately names that have always been around, but there are others --groups even-- that kind of seem to come and go. Sometimes it's for the better, and at other times...
The other big change is that when forum goers stay for awhile, there's usually (though not always) a maturation process. I see this in myself if nothing else. When I first started posting, I'd post on any subject no matter how much or how little I knew (there's one thread out there in which I made a complete idiot of myself, and that I'm pretty sure demolished any little bit of credibility I had with at least one big name forum member...but that's another story). Now I try to keep my mouth shut and ears open as much as possible. Certain threads, especially those about cameras and/or photography, will get my participation. On the rest I usually try to keep my trap shut unless I'm asking questions. There's so many knowledgable forum denizens here -- Ed, Carl, RWM, MC, etc. etc. that it's just interesting to read their posts.
While I frequent a couple of other fora, this is still the one I call home and the one I enjoy the most. I doubt that that will ever change.
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
I started on this site on my in-laws computer. since then have gotten our own computer and digital camera. Houston Ed answered a question of mine and I helped answer one of Mookies.Met alot of nice people here on the forum and got to take some road trips for face to face meetings.Trains also had a photo of the day contest too.Let the journey continue...................
stay safe
joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
nanaimo73 wrote: miketx wrote: I wonder what happened to that kid who got on here for a while. The guy who wrote in caps and finally said something like shut the h*** up.Are you thinking of Lotus098, from Idaho? I don't think he's posted since Dec 2006.
I think that's him. I just wonder where guys like that go. Come on here, raise a stink then disappear...oh well, I guess it takes all kinds.
miketx wrote: nanaimo73 wrote: miketx wrote: I wonder what happened to that kid who got on here for a while. The guy who wrote in caps and finally said something like shut the h*** up.Are you thinking of Lotus098, from Idaho? I don't think he's posted since Dec 2006. I think that's him. I just wonder where guys like that go. Come on here, raise a stink then disappear...oh well, I guess it takes all kinds. m
BNSFRailfan was good for that kind of stuff, too.
zardoz wrote: cprted wrote:Not to toot my own whistle, but I joined on day 5. According to the member stats, there are only 14 members who joined before me who have posted within the last 365 days. So la di da!I don't really remember what it was like back when it was new. I wasn't an active participant for very long back then, or even now really.7.5 years and only 360 posts--I think that qualifies you as a 'lurker'.
I joined somewhere around 2002... I have always like the magazine, and thought the site was really cool. I love forums...at the height of my "online life" if you will, I belonged to 11 different forums, and 13 regular "chat rooms". I was in 2 WWII forums, 1 history forum, 4 dating forums etc, etc, etc. Now, six years later, the only forums I actively participate in is this one and the one on the photo site I administer.
I always make time for this site. I love the different topics, and I generally read every thread, although when I fall behind by a couple of weeks, it's hard to catch up. I read more than I post, but the things that I have learned over the years by coming here, has enhanced my knowledge of US railroads, and has helped me answer many of my son's "Dad, how come......?" type questions.
Sometimes we get some spirited, good natured debate, and then other times it gets kinda nasty. I tend to bail from a thread when that happens. (Unless I happen to be in a mood) But overall, everyone here has been pretty civilized, and decent, and I enjoy coming here alot, and probably still will for years to come.
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