Avoid that place if you are looking for train talk. O gauge must be a blood sport for them with all of the knives flying. It’s worse than the civil war.
I quit Compuserve years ago because the toy train forum was turning to bloodsport, and even at that time I heard AOL was worse. More like Thunderdome than the Boy’s Railroad Club. At least there are more civilized climes to discuss trains.
I generally stick to this board when I post. The regular posters here are genuinely interested in furthering the enjoyment of the hobby, and they also seem to really like eachother. If I want to troll or am looking to be really entertained, I’ll check out some of the other forums. That’s not to say that most of the people that frequently post on other forums don’t have the same goals in mind as here; it’s just been my experience that there are a few very opinionated fervent posters on a couple of other boards that I don’t care to engage on topics where my disagreement with an opionion could get me flamed. The rule used to be: Don’t discuss politics and religion with people. I prefer not to add hobbies to the list as well.
My .02,
Dwayne
I went over there to look, now that you mentioned it. Some of the discussions are hilarious, and there are obviously some people posting for the sole purpose of flaming and/or baiting someone else. It looks like the same weenies over there that are flaming each other on the OGR Forum. It’s fun to look, but I would never post there.
The AOL boards have been that way for quite some time now–basically dating back to the time when the O gauge market became competitive.
I was a member of AOL from the very start, and even though there were some good-natured barbs thrown in the early days, they were indeed good-natured. Then things turned progressively more personal and more nasty, and the vast majority of the early regulars there eventually turned away and found other discussion forums more suited to their interests. I dropped AOL a bit over a year ago, and have never looked back. I still “visit” there as a non-member from time to time now that even non-AIOL subscribers can do that, but mostly just for the entertainment value of seeing a bunch of grown men–men involved in a leisure pastime at that–go at each other’s throats. Pretty awesome stuff on occasion!
I stick to this board as well. Most of the posters here are good natured with a sense of humor also. I’ve seen posts on other forums where they get upset if a Engine or Freight Car is not detailed to perfection or is short of Two or Three Rivits.Not me. These are Toy Trains & are not meant to have every single detail or sound that the real trains had. Even the Moderators here have a keen sense of humor as well & do not get upset or rule with a heavy hand. Just my [2c]
Personally, I find the AOL boards to be worthless. Hilarious at times, but worthless to the hobby.
Regards,
Clint
I am into O gauge trains like most people here and I hate politics and trains being combined! That is why I quit getting O Gauge train magazine that is published in Pennsylvania, no offense to PA but the magazine is ULTRA Political and trashy!!
Lee Fritz in West Palm Beach FL
[#ditto]
The AOL message board was created so the TOOGs and Louies can duke it out.
I think people are taking things way too seriously across the board. Politics, religion, --you name it. The world is in a big enough mess that we ought to try and lighten up and enjoy our hobby and not be critical of the way others enjoy theirs. Why can’t we live and let live and try to find and share happiness with others? Too much to hope for, I guess.
I’ve heard of Louies, but what’s a TOOG?
“The AOL message board was created so the TOOGs and Louies can duke it out.”
Actually, the AOL boards existed long before there ever were such things as “Louies” and “TOOGS.” In recent years, the TOOGS have, for the most part, departed AOL for greener pastures where they can share and enjoy their favorite trains and topics with others of like interests.
The early AOL picnics at the York Meet (held outdoors on the fairgrounds) used to be THE highlight of my visits to York. They were absolutely great in every respect, and the manufacturers and even AOL itself supported the gathering with some fabulous door prizes and by sending representatives.
But then somone outside the group got envious and managed to get the AOL gathering banned from the fairgrounds. It has since moved to a local banquet hall and is still a very nice event, but nothing quite compares to what it was when it was held in the old open sheds outside the Yellow Hall.
I have no use for AOL today, but will always fondly remember those great gatherings of some truly nice guys and gals.
You go to the movies to watch a show, to the bar for a beer, and to your train room to run trains. I go to the AOL train boards to fight. I like blood sports. I like women wrestlers. Sometimes a fella has to go somewhere to let a foamer know exactly where he stands, that’s all.[:D]
LOL! [:D] I see they keep their clothes on for this forum!
It just depends on what side of town you grew up on.[;)]
Yep, I can abide by the rules here!!![:D]
I love my neighborhood.[:)]
What’s with those AOL board people? Nothing but personal insults and vulgar language. Big big waste of bandwith. Don’t tell me thats the board TCA sponsors.[:0]