FYI-,
So I have an idea that I think would generate some decent revenue for this Kalmbach website and enrich it a bit more for everyone. Is there some way to submit a suggestion to a moderator or is there a link somewhere? Let me know if you know…kind of asking for help here.
Thanks.
Swimsuit calendar?
Adapt ‘Muddle of the Munth’ from Model Railroader?
Try going direct to Jim Wrinn:
I’ve got no idea what the moderators e-mails might be, but you can contact Steven Otte by the Forum’s private message option. He WILL contact you back, but not right away, be patient.
I like Zugmann’s idea of a swimsuit calender, but at this point of my life I’m more likely to notice a locomotive in the background before I notice the model.
Don’t get old.
#onlytrainfans?
Might end up like the meme about firefighter’s calendars. There’s what you think you’ll see (hunks and beauties) and what you’ll actually see (maybe a few hunks, but mostly pudgy old guys…
Thanks!
Actually I was thinking of a computer game link via the website. TRAINS could pay for design and creation of said game via it’s own money. Perhaps setup Canada, United States and Mexico with various railroads. Play in teams against each other, One class one railroad per player but multiple games running concurrently. Use SIM CITY as kind of a foundation but economic and urban developement based on how efficently each railroad is run. You could add transit agencies for more players and have them deal with each class one or partner with them. I think this would be really, awesome. I think they could contract with developers in asia and get a foundation for this or partner with an existing gaming company. Limit the game to Trains website or make it international to draw in new traffic.
Of course I have absolutely no clue how feasible this is. Just a suggestion. 
sadly puts away swimsuit
As an aside, I had an idea for a board game. Never really fleshed it out, though.
Players would be “dealt” a train to start. Each of the cars would have a destination, the goal of the game being to deliver all of those cars to said destination.
There might be provisions to pick up cars at those destinations, too. Unresolved detail.
Along the way, one would possibly pick up “penalty” cards that might increase your workload, or make it easier. Those locations might be called towers.
Since all of the players would be moving all over the place (not really prototypical, but what the heck…) there could be the possibility of meets. The routes could have “passing tracks,” which might force a longer train to wait until a shorter one cleared in the siding (remember, trains would be dropping and picking up cars).
There are dozens of things that could happen.
In the end, the first player to get back to his/her home yard with appropriate cars would win.
Why should anyone be surprised at this? What do you think’s going to happen to people when they’ve gotten ten, twenty, or thirty years of that GOOOOD firehouse chow in 'em?
I mean really!
Yeah, the overall problem with most first responders in this country is they get way out of shape after a few years on the job. I think there should be incentives financial or otherwise for staying in shape, they should get a decent shot at enjoying that pension.
Great idea!! Perhaps even require users to turn off their ad-blocker in order to play?
From a recent thread titled “Functionality for new Forum”:
Better schedules and adequate staffing?
I am not a Doctor but taking a wild guess here that most of the improper eating is due to stress and bad choices made at meal time. Though it could be lack of time to properly take care of one self as well. Granted there are a few individuals who just do not care and thats OK (it is a personal choice) but when I see 60-70% of a specific force significantly over weight I don’t think it is all personal choice. Some of it is job related.
There are a couple of examples already on STEAM that I provided as a base for a start or potential partnership. Just enter TRAINS or RAILROADS as a search criteria. Submitted some ideas of my own as well.
[:D]
Hard (not impossible) to get into healthy routines when your schedule is best descibed as: “???”.
We used to get little love notes from the health dep’t about how we should be healthier by sleeping regular hours and times, and reduce stress, and take the stairs, and don’t sit for long periods of time, etc.
I don’t think those people knew the railroad outside of the office building they worked in.
The employees in any railroad’s ‘General Office Building’ could just as easily be working for a insurance complany, a hedge fund or any other business endeavor - they have no concept or understanding of what the ‘field’ side of railroading is all about and no idea of what personnel in the field go through on a daily basis to fulfill their duties as employees.
I still expect them to do the right thing and place an “Inspired by Convicted One” credit on the sim screen when they implement your suggestion. [:(!] [:-,][}:)]
True of a lot of businesses, it certainly was in the company I worked for. There were the guys n’ gals out in the field getting it done and then there was the rarified atmosphere of corporate “La-La Land.”
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, the comic strip “Dilbert” is so funny because it’s so true.