While there has always been a certain slow down in forum activity in the summer months, the forum in general has a lot less usage compared to, say, 10 years ago (don´t let my “member since” date fool you - I joined in 2009, got out and re-joined). The forums have lost a number of key participants, which quite often acted as a driving force. Some of them sadly passed away, others chose not to visit this place any longer, some were banned for reasons not always comprehendable.
Like others have already stated, should MR to give up these forums and migrate to FB, I´ll be out. Nothing in the world can make me join that [soapbox] platform!
With Ebay degenerating all the time, Facebook provides other opportunities for willing buyers and willing sellers to connect without having to pay ANY FEES.
So those of you who hate the very concept of Facebook might want to reconsider it as a place where people are trading trains now, outside of Ebay.
There is a perception that “only the junk dealers” are still on Ebay. Maybe that is why my personal stuff is just not selling anymore like it once did.
A lot of it is that social media sites are taking over a lot of the functions forums and chatrooms did back in the day. In the case of model railroading places like facebook and reddit are where more and more younger modelers are going when they want to talk about model trains. It’s much easier to find groups and discussions about the stuff they’re interested in than on a traditional message board. They’re also on Pinterest, Instagram, and Youtube since those places are more geared to showing off their work. They go to those places because that’s where other young people are. All those places have a hipper, much more exciting vibe to them whereas messageboards are pretty much the grumpy old men’s club.
I agree to completely disagree! I am a member of some other model railroading forums, which are way more lively, diverse and interesting than the MR forums. They sport a healthy mix of old geezers and young folks, newbies and experienced men of the trade. The reason why this forum is losing out to other platforms including Zuckerberg´s famous pig, i.e. FB, is the lack of interest our host seems to display, as said before.
[tup] I totally agree!! Be glad for what you have!!
I enjoy the forums very much. I look forward to visiting them every day. I will do my best to support them and participate in them. I really hope that Kalmbach will continue to support them. I’d be a bit lost, especially during the Covid-19 crisis, if they were to end.
I will say that it would be very enjoyable to have Cody and the rest of the gang participate, as others have suggested.
If a hungry, hungry bear has that advice, it’s probably good to not just chew at things. Kalmbach has been a pretty good host compared to many over a longer time than most. It’s their privilege to run things as suits their needs and goals. They tend to run a pretty family-oriented operation and I think that drives their aversion to some of the rougher edges that some would prefer. As has already been discussed in this thread, there’s plenty of places to find that on the internet, so I think MR offers something different by the way they moderate.
Wrong answer - a forum with ever declining usage and malfunctioning software behind is certainly not giving our host the image he derserves. Better nothing than just anything, which hardly works.
Don´t forget, we have been promised an upgraded, updated software for way too long a time by now.
I’m a new participant. I can tell you my interest in joining was sparked by the number of times my Google search for information about this hobby produced really useful and accurate information from this site. Definitely the best model railroading site generally accessible on the internet and there are other quite good ones.
Much of the information was also subject to very varied opinions which provided a balanced account of the topic discussed.
Mind you, a lot of the information on this forum is quite old, but then so is the hobby and, by definition almost, so is the information, whether about prototype or models. This is after all a historical hobby. Not much changes about model railroading except the development of new modelling techniques, equipment to modify or operate a model railroad and current events relevant to the hobby.
It cannot be like a new car forum, more like a classic car restoration forum.
Most remarkable to a newbie is the broad community, so many different personalities enjoy this hobby and from so many different perspectives. Probably the most controversy is generated by this diversity of interest in and opinions about the hobby.
So much so that a disinterested observer would conclude that there really is no unacceptable version of a model railroad. Except possibly one that the modeller doesn’t really care about. The members of this forum share one common characteristic, each of you really loves this hobby.
I, for one, thank you all for the wealth of information and opinions expressed and archived on this forum.
Rubbish, that’s cutting off your nose off to spite your face, talk!
Again, I don’t totally disagree with you Ulrich, but whether our hosts care about their image here or not, is beside the point! I still think we should be thankful for small mercies.
As for promises of upgrades, well neither of us came down with the last shower, so I for one, don’t get excited until a promise is actually made good. In fact, I’ve never minded the challenge of making the best of the situation, and I take heart in the “Stalwarts”, and I consider you as one, on this Forum who still make it worthwhile for me to enjoyably participate in.
Besides while I don’t have statistical data to prove it, I rather think, with the advent of so many different platforms, other “traditional” forums are also suffering a decline in activity.
That can be a little annoying for sure, when a topic turns into a lively discussion between two people that actually know very little about the topic that is being discussed.
What annoys me (and this happens on EVERY forum, this is not about Kalmbach) are the folks that post replies as though they are experts about something they actually do not understand.
I am an expert in one thing. Seriously, I am recognized by the State of Florida as a witness that can testify in court as an expert on this one subject. Every so often someone posts something that is completely wrong on the one thing I truly have a depth of knowledge about. They usually use big words and nonsense theories to sound like they know what they are saying, but it is obvious that they are either recycling a lie they read somewhere else or just making things up.
Other than that, I am very happy here. I have found a home at the Model Railroader forums. The moderation that Steve-O provides is what keeps me here. I will never join the insanity at Face Book.
Before I was here, I had a home on the Warseer forums for ten years, but they kicked me out, so I searched for a new home, and landed here.
I was a moderator on two forums back in the early (pre-Warseer) days, and I know what a terrible job that is. I would not want to do it again.
Let me say in closing, another well deserved “Thank You” to Steven Otte and the team at Model Railroader and Kalmbach Media.
E-bays fee structure changed and with it bargin hunters could not find enough stuff and a lot of overpriced stuff stayed do to the store concept. Sure I have bought from their stores but a lot of times I am not looking for anything specific and just want to brouse. When you paid per listing based on start price, you got rid of a lot of garbage because the stuff was bought for cheap or the fees got to be too much.
John, you sound very bitter. Unfortunately what you discussed summarizes much of the vagaries of social media. I’ve been on forums since I was college freshman in 1977 and have found over the years you need a thick skin. It’s only gotten worse as social media has expanded. Of course it helps if moderation is fairly strict to keep things to a dull roar. For some, best thing to do is find a place of like minded people, which helps minimize conflict over differing philosophies and hopefully fewer trolls.
My wife was a FB member of a British ex-patriot chat group because she wanted to read and talk about things of England, food, jokes whatever. But the people there were all a bunch of complainer and were extremely negative all the time to the point where it was a major downer. She found another same type group that was moderated well and it’s been a nice place to hangout. Anyone who is mean or distruptive is fairly quickly banned. Moderation is a big part of how pleasant or unpleasant a forums or chat group can be for sure.
As for the accusations of shill, I could never take those posts seriously. They seem like nothing but 100% troll comments. There is a saying: “Never argue with an idiot/troll. They’ll only bring you down to their level and beat you with experiece.” Trolls exist to bait people and draw them into getting defenesive and reacting. They crave attention. Nothing is worse for a troll than to be ignored. So ignore them. Or, if social media is too difficult to deal with, walk away. I have to do that with somethings at times; but I don’t necessarily stop participating all together.
As to the subject here, yes, summer tends to be a slow time for participation as the hobby is somehwat seasonal. There may be other factors that have added t
Also back to original subject, I accually enjoy when things go off topic, people get into their lives and how they feel, just like in real life, instead of a structured convesation. And telling us not to discuse the virus is like excluding what the whole world is talking about, train forum or not.
I’m older than dirt and with that comes declining health. When all I can do is sit at my workbench/computer workstation the MR Forum fills in the gaps. Thanks guys and gals!
Like Kevin to me Face Book is total insanity . . . . I too have found a home at the Model Railroader Forum.
Hats off to Steven Otte, Tom (tstage) and Kalmbach for making the Forum available to me.
The secret to facebook is to unfriend anyone who wants to post daily political comments. Even if they are the same political persuasion, you will get sucked into arguments with their friends on the other side.
Unfriend anyone who constantly sends these stupid games where your favorite color and number determines what type of person you are.
We all know people whose life revolves around complaining, unfriend them.
Realize Facebook algorithms control who and what you see, and don’t see. Liking organizations or businesses doesn’t necessarily mean you will see their posts. Sometimes you still have to search them out.
Join or follow groups that you will learn something. I try to follow
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
Baltimore Chapt. Nat Railway Historical society
WM Scenic RR
East Broad Top
My local neighborhoods’ facebook page
My Rescued Coonhound
Virtual Railfan
The last 3 are groups you can join, the first 4 are hit or miss as to whether you see some all or none of their posts, but there are interesting pics to be seen in the historical pages.
I physically have to go to Rapido, Bowser, MR facebook pages to see their posts,
I frequent at least five different fora daily. They have all suffered lower participation. The Canadian Model Train Forum just switched their software a few weeks back and still haven’t come close to their previous activity.
Each of us makes careful, but also emotional, choices in this hobby, and we don’t like hearing others tear them down about running qualities, incorrect details, mismatched paints compared to Brand A’s truly excellent and accurate version (which they just happen to own). Goya often devolve to argumentation and hot tempers, and soon to ad hominem when they run out of cogent logic or facts.
i like it here, and on the other places. Some stick it out, as they do I in less-than-perfect marriages. The best of us b…tech and try to get some things to change. The worst seek greener pastures, but will often offer nothing much of themselves, or too much, over there.
i add my thanks to our hosts, to Steve, and to Tom who is doing his second shift as a volunteer.
I’ve noticed a significant drop in activity in most all of the forums I participate. This thread drop is probably seasonal as mentioned. We are outdoors or on vacation the next couple months.
Nearly every other forum, of totally different interests, often descends into polital or virus discussion arguments by just a few members thus turning the regulars off and scaring newbies away.
This site has been great at avoiding that stuff. Thanks guys!
