Usually get to the forums from a Blackberry. Could these be hidden any more on a PC? why does the conspiracy believer in me think its a way of letting them die?
Huh?
Hidden on a PC?
I don’t have a blackberry, I only have a computer and the forums are still right where i bookmarked them in my Favorites folder for easy access anytime or at trains.com anytime.
I have no idea what you are talking about.
Perhaps a more detailed description is in order.
Mine are bookmarked, too, but there was a thread about “missing links” from some of the higher-up pages.
The latest “upgrade” of the forum software did not interact well with IE6, as I recall. There may be other browser versions that it doesn’t like, either. When you’ve got a problem like this, it helps to know what platform, operating system, browser and version you’re using.
Maybe just a mild case of paranoia?
Aside from the occasional down time due to unexpected site maintenance (do we love those Ooops pages?) my forum never hides!
It sounds like the forum doesn’t play well with Android.
About a week ago, I went to look at the MR forums and they didn’t seem to show up on the trains.com website. My thought was- oh no! Kalmbach has elimninated the forums— and furthermore, I can’t GRIPE about it on the forums!!!
But then I thought, maybe they are updating the site or something, and I resisted the urge to comment on another rail-related site… and before long, I figured it out… I had to go to “communities” down in the fine print at the bottom of the trains.com entry page.
I’ve done that for a week-- a little extra step. Before last week, my browser history stored recent URLS I called up and because I went to trains.com often, it was always right there on my pull-down. I expect it will be a while. But I went through the community click, got to the Model Railroader forum heading and COPIED that URL to a word file. Then I went out of trains.com to a different site, actually a non-rail site, and then pasted the URL: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/default.aspx?groupid=8 into my URL space at the top of the browser. I find that when I type or paste a URL into my browser, it keeps recent URLs, but not sites I reach through a link. Anyway, this sets me up to pull down entry to the MR forums prontito!!!
I have never used “favorites,” not used to it, probably would work faster if I bothered to learn it…
I would suspect he is refering to the missing banner link on the www.trains.com page, per my post earlier in the week.
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/191482.aspx
I can say about IE6, can’t remember that far back. The forums and Kalmbach pages work fine with the current IE8. And trust me, I’m no computer expert.
I don’t generally bookmark stuff, so I was use to just going to the main page and hiting the link - one click, now its go to the MR page, click the a tab, and finally a link to the forums.
Still no answer from our hosts as to the reason for the change.
Sheldon
I have it set as one of 4 sites for my home page. It opens every time I open Internet Explorer.
(The other three are newspapers).
My bookmark is to www.modelrailroader.com and I just click on Community, Forums. I’ve just always done it that way. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to www.trains.com except by accident.
As for Blackberry and other devices, the format of most web pages is beyond what can be conveniently displayed on a small device, so usually if the option is offered there is a reduced format page for mobile devices. I don’t think they have that here. And when you have a proprietary browser like Blackberry’s, good luck with that “full web experience”. If it’s not IE< FIrefox, Safari, or CHrome, don;t expect a ‘full’ experience.
–Randy
I know this will sound dumb to some of you who spend a lot of time on a computer and use all these secondary features like bookmarking and favorites and such, and maybe you have been on here so long, and the site has been through so many changes you don’t remember, but how did you get to the forums the very first time?
If Kalmbach wants to use the forum to promote the hobby and their business, than ease of access, especially for new people, would seem to be important.
This forum is just about my only “online” activity other than a little shopping and product research for both work and the hobby. Most my day is spend designing houses or actually building, restoring, repairing or remodeling them - you know, actually doing something with your hands other than typing?
Sheldon
Part of me thinks that they removed the link while they figure out what is slowing the forum down. The regulars know how to get to the forums without the tab. Whether you go to the model railroader website and click on communities, or have the link saved in your favorites, you get here. I’m guessing that the server can’t handle all of the visitors so they made it more difficult to get here without upsetting ‘us’. There is no sense in letting everyone in if it’s crashing the system. Just a theory.
Are you talking about these hidden forums http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/default.aspx?groupid=1 the long lost step children hidden in the attic?
Uh-oh Crandell, do you suppose they’ve found us out…?
John
(Oh No! Did I just post that on the public forum!?!?!? ARGH! [#oops] )
I access the forums from my Android all the time, and have not had any problems.
It’s all part of the New World Order. BWWAAAHAAAHAAAA!!![;)]
On my Palm Pre it does not hide any’t’in’ so…??? 
You must not know the secret handshake…
It’s the old “Purloined Letter” case – they are hidden in plain sight!