n scale forum

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

does anyone know if a n scale forum was ever created? I would think that one is needed as to the ever growing popularity of n scale.

2

Yea theres one here in general discussion. Just search for it.

3

Here it is. Its called the “N” crowd…

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1020231/ShowPost.aspx

4

Oh great its locked.

Gee…What a surprise [:-^]

5

Here’s the current one.

The “N” crowd: part 2

6

As an HO-scaler, I see some advantage with N-scalers having their own forum. Nevertheless, I’m not in favor of “Balkanizing” the hobby. It is probably inevitable. N-scalers already have two(?) of their-scale-only model railroad magazines. As far as I know, there isn’t one just for HO-ers.

For whatever reasons (probably based on feeling excluded), groups that perceive themselves as minorities seek their own exclusivity. For instance, there is an association of Spanish-speaking certified public accountants in this country, but not an association of English-speaking certified public accountants. Isn’t there an association of women accountants, but not one for male accountants even though women are, or will soon be, the majority in that profession? And so on.

Mark

7

I’m a minority myself. I work in education. 70% of which are women. I feel your pain brother.[8D]

8

I’d have to say that to me, the methods and madnesses of HO and N scalers are very similar. Some things may need to be tweaked, but unless the discussion is about a specific piece of equipment, there really isn’t much difference. I think keeping most things together makes a lot of sense!

9

Except for some product specific topics, most of the topics are not scale specific or can be of value to other scales.

Also, I have noticed that the few times I have been to sites with scale specific forums, they have much less traffic even for HO than this one. And the minority scales might as well not be there.

But you might consider joining one of the Yahoo groups, I think every scale has several.

Enjoy

Paul

10

The Atlas website has separate forums for HO, N and O…and DCC.

http://forum.atlasrr.com/

11

There always seems to be an N scale forum, then it disappears. Thankfully a lot of shared info is good for all scales.

12

There are some very good N scale specific, or at least N scale majority forums that I visit. I don’t think it’s appropriate to promote them directly here, but you can find them by googling “N Scale Forum”… I also have links on the link page of my website, which is the link below my sig picture.

Lee

13

I would not like to see a separate N scale forum, even though I also model in that scale. There are things we can learn from each scale. I would like to see more N scalers post, just as I would like to see more On30 modelers post as well. The Bachmann stuff has got me scratchbuilding a marine oriented display module with their Porter and cars. Xenophobia we don’t need.

14

Yeah, what he said.

Most of the model railroad forums on the web are scale segregated. I really enjoy having the Model Railroader forums not separated, as this gives me at least one site where there is some exchange between people of all scales. For N specific info I can always go to one of the N specific forums.

Just my take on it.

Ed

15

I used to model HO, now just n-scale, and enjoy the diversity of ideas and resources here. I can glean ideas from all scales for my layout.

16

I periodically look in on a number of other forums but this is the only one in which I am (currently) participating; scale specific forums eventually evolve into old-boy networks - and if you don’t believe that look in on a trainboard forum. The Atlas forum has a few pretty bright boys but it also has its share of deadheads - I sometimes wonder if our friend Mayo is a member over there - most of whom are also members of that trainboard forum. For a month or two back in the winter of 06-07 I signed aboard that trainboard forum - which, I have long felt should change its name to idiotbored - but after I got several PMs from some of the old fogeys - and at least one moderator - who, apparently, were just a little intimidated and indicated that they hoped I would leave I did!

17

I have many times thought that it would have been a good idea to have some of the posts separated in different scale forums. It happens many times when I read a post I have to look for if the post mentions the scale they are using. It is good to know when you talk of layout dimensions and track issues, as already said product specific questions.

I suggest to add two? new forums for ‘N Layouts’ and ‘H0 Layouts’ on ‘Model Railroader Forums’. Then all scale specific questions will be taken out from ‘Layouts and layout building’. All non-scale specific questions will be addressed in the existing forum. ‘Electronics and DCC’ got it’s own group and I think that is a very good thing.

18

You’re such a rebel [:D]

19

Only other forum I ever took part in,some years back, was on the Bachmann site. Mostly just about their products but I haven’t been there or brought anything by them (N scale) in years. These are the only forums I bother with and that’s just fine with me. As a matter of fact, aside from being here and on my Yahoo group (not train related) I don’t get too involved in online sites.

20

The n crowd discusses this very issue, and I agree with the apparently generally accepted sentiment that having our forum separates us from the good stuff generally available on the broad forums.

When I was new, I would have gone straight to the n-scale forum and not looked back. That would have been a tremendous shame.

For the life of me, I cannot see any advantage, but it is exactly what I looked for when I first came here. Not having our own forum, prevents us from making that understandable but self-defeating mistake.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED…

…is people to post using good subject headings instead of,

  • I have a question
  • What do you think?
  • Any ideas?
  • Help needed

We need topic headings like:

  • n-scale code 55 track discussion
  • n-scale brass
  • n-scale couplers
  • n-scale steam era reviews and resources
  • airbrush selection basics
    (which would not be seen by us if an n-scale forum existed)

There is my suggested solution to the problem I believe we are really dealing with.

By-the-way, in ads, I used to get upset about products listed without scale. When you are new to the hobby, you assume scale will be mentioned. Everyone knows from experience that if no scale is mentioned then it is HO. What makes this easy to get over, is to recognize that any n-scale manufacturer knows this to be true, and makes “n-scale” a prominent part of the ad.

Crews