Running Bear's June 2023 Coffee Shop

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


Status
Not open for further replies.
I left this forum years ago due to it being selectively moderated and having a couple of as was stated in another post as "grouchy old farts telling me I had no business here if I couldn't afford to do a DCC railroad". I was asking too many questions trying to figure it out I guess, So I removed all my posts and moved on.

Cut to a few years back, I came back on, under a new name. Sherrel recognized my former name and welcomed me back. I'd been happy and played nice ever since.

With what looks to myself and others as moderator overreach, I will be taking a break from here as well.
 
This thread has over 500 posts in 9 days.

Anyone want to venture a guess at how many posts have been made in all the other forums on this site combined during that same time? I don't know the answer, but I would be very surprised if they add up to more than 500.

I don't come to these forums for advice. I come here because of the coffee shop. In the 2-3 years that I've been coming here, I have received 2, maybe 3 pieces of good advice. In every instance I remember, that good advice has come from a staff member. I don't remember ever having a regular member here give me on-point answers to my questions. Those questions were asked in the appropriate forum, but apparently nobody saw them except the staff members. Some times, after getting no responses in the specific forum, I would come to the coffee shop to ask, and all of a sudden, I get several people chiming in.

So what do the owners of this forum want? Do they want a social gathering spot for people with a common hobby, or do they want a forum to offer support and give guidance to other hobbyists? Or, do they want a place for people to showcase their talents? Think about that question, and yourself which category you prefer. For me, I value teh social aspect of this site more than the technical side.

The difference for me, is this: The advice I got here was not from an overinflated ego. It was given to me graciously. The advice I get on other forums always seems to come with a sermon.

There are several model train forums, and to be frank, I get way MORE (not necessarily better) advice on other forums. But that advice on other forums comes with a lot of people who have egos too large to fit into whatever room they're in. So there's always good with bad.

I like it here.
 


Good Morning All and those that are self exiled.
65F @78% and partly

In my opinion, if there was a wrong way to do something - we have just seen it. RED FONT? Really? I thought that I was 2YO again after reading said post.

Maybe it would be better to try again with something like:
All: we are getting too many post in the Coffee Shop that should be related to one ( or more ) of the various build threads or other topics. We want you to post to the shop, but those other threads also. How about if we try this: When you post in the Coffee Shop and you have layout/work/building/stuff pictures to show everybody, put a 'teaser' pix in with a link to the thread where you put more pix and more information.

Notice that I said 'We' vs what looks like I, I, I in the original post. If Bob delegated this to Tony, so be it. Just reading it again, it looks like a party of ONE came to the conclusion that there was something s/he did not like and complained.

And as Jeff said - 500 posts in the last 9 days; no I did not count them. I would expect the shop to have more post as the banter/babble seems to be good for the soul. I used to love hitting the shop; in fact that was what I did first, then the other threads.

Exiled! Well, at least until Monday to see how I feel about it all.
 
JeffH said:
Those questions were asked in the appropriate forum, but apparently nobody saw them except the staff members
Click to expand...
I make a point of always checking on new posts, especially if I see it's had no responses, even if I can't help, and ask them to hang on a few days to get one, but I'll always leave a positive comment for the OP, obviously if you had no responses at all, either they knew the couldn't help or simply couldn't be bothered to help.
 
I think the difference is that on the other forum, certain members seek out newbies so they can step up to the lectern and begin pontificating about how great their knowledge and experience is. Then, when someone else comes along and offers different advice, it turns into an "I know more than you do" exchange between two or more people who seem to be more concerned about knocking others down, than they are with offering real advice.

And that is why I like it here. Way less drama here, even with the occasional tiff in the coffee shop.

I will offer one more observation. My first impression of this forum (not just the coffee shop, the whole forum) was that it was really just a social gathering place for a dozen or so regulars.

Then, I started getting really spot-on advice from Terry (Gomez), and I decided to stick around.

I don't necessarily agree with everyone in the coffee shop, but for the most part, it's very cordial here. We have people who can't seem to refrain from taking jabs at current or former politicians. I'm guilty of lashing out against that, but I try to keep my personal views to myself, or at least present my views in a way to be non-confrontational.

Typed words carry little context, and zero body language.
 
Last edited:


JeffH said:
I think the difference is that on the other forum, certain members seek out newbies so they can step up to the lectern and begin pontificating about how great their knowledge and experience is. Then, when someone else comes along and offers different advice, it turns into an "I know more than you do" exchange between two or more people who seem to be more concerned about knocking others down, than they are with offering real advice.
Click to expand...
That does happen here too, but it is rare I gladly admit. and when it does, it's usually in a friendly good natured way.
 
Smudge617 said:
has become such a miss mash of post's of both general and technical, it's sometimes difficult to follow
Click to expand...

I don't remember there being much technical discussion. There has been a small amount of banter about air brushing and what tools for that or quick tips posted but no real how to or in depth stuff.

Another place I hang out has moderators that will move parts of a thread if need be. If someone posts a technical how to that should be saved elsewhere, can't the moderators just move that?

(This other forum of which I speak is set up a little differentlt and doesn't have a "Coffee Shop" type topic but it does have an "Off Topic" section that people can post their own off topic stuff (eg, "Willie's Garden" or "Chadbags Awesome Trip to Japan 2022"). I hang out here more often though as I prefer the anything goes (not meaning wildness of discussion but topic range) of the coffee shop. I work from home in a basement office and don't get that daily adult interction you'd get in an office environment so I personally use the Coffee Shop here as a substitute for adult interaction. This, and going up and talking to the two young kids who are the framers on our house 😂 )
 
Smudge617 said:
Fair enough, but I disagree on the sharing part, I believe it will only make easier, as whatever your searching for should be where it supposed to be, and not where it isn't, and so easier to follow
Click to expand...

Not if its not shared at all. Most people who talk trains here and banter here and post an update on their layout won't be posting those anywhere now.
 
JeffH said:
I only frequent 2 model train forums. This one, I get less people offering advice, but most of the people here are cordial. The other site has more people offering advice, and the best part?.... most of them are holier than me, lol.
Click to expand...

I also only frequent 2 model train forums. This one and jnsforum.com, which is (mostly) dedicated to Japanese N scale model railroading, with a few outer rooms for other than Japan and other than N scale. We don't get too many holier than thou type pontification there either. I visit both almost daily but probably hang more here as this Coffee Shop thread is where the banter and comraderie is or at least was. The other one, as I mentioned in my post a moment ago, has an Off Topic section that people post their own threads in but it doesn't quite have that coffee shop feel. Having said that, the camaraderie and acceptance and respect for others is on par with what I've seen here.

I have no interest in going to other parts of the forum myself -- for one, it is more work for me and I also am not a US prototype modeler and am not H0 and am, at the moment, not actively doing anything on or with my trains due to the house project. So a quick check here a few times a day makes me feel included and is a good distraction and my "adult interaction" for the day without having to go look elsewhere at things I don't even know I want to look at. I don't weather my trains -- against my personal desires -- so I am not going to read a weathering topic or forum post. However, I certainly can appreciate the work and talent that is shown by those who do weather so the occasional pic here of someone's efforts that I can enjoy is appreciated.

for a bad analogy:

It's like browsing a flea market here. I don't know what I want so am looking around at everything. If I know what I want, I don't go to the flea market. I go to Amazon or the LHS or whatever store has it since I already know and need a specific question. But I usually am not trying to find a specific thing when I go to a flea market or wander around a mall. I'm just look at stuff randomly. Same here. Not looking for anything specific but enjoying what I find.
 
I never saw the fascination of using social media to tell everyone what you did yesterday, or what you're having for dinner. Unless it as something unusual or otherwise significant.

I could care less about a grocery trek or the weather where you are, but it is nice to sskim through and if I see something that catches my eye or pulls on an emotional string, then I'm engaged, and want to participate. Often times, that causes "thread drift." Thread drift is awesome in a place like the coffee shop. Thread drift is frustrating in a thread where people are discussing some specific technical issue.

So I get the gist behind Tony's post.

I still have the perception that this is NOT the web site to go to if I'm seeking technical advice. Furthermore, In my experience, I have felt compelled to ask for advice in the coffee shop because I got little to no responses in the topic specific forum.
 
Last edited:
westtexjohn said:
My four basic food groups........Bacon, Cheese, Butter and Salt. These items go well with ANYTHING !

On Coffee Shop posting....one photo in relation to your post should be fine. However if you are posting a group of photos, I think they should be under the correct forum topic location.

On Poly-tics....If you direct any comments to any political party, I think that should NOT be allowed. However, talking about whats happening in our world today is NOT politics; such as todays economic situation ( inflation ) affecting rising prices in our hobby. Discussing morals ( simply what is right or wrong) good vs evil or established facts, should be allowed as long as it is truth , not hearsay. We all have to keep "general interest" things within a certain boundary trying not to offend anyone. After all, while being the "Coffee Shop" it is still a model railroad forum overall. I am a non drinker but folks posting pictures of their favorite liquor does not offend me.

A famous man ( Abe Lincoln ? ) once said " You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time".

Just my thoughts....John
Click to expand...
You can fool some of the people some of the time....
Lincoln never saw an expressway clover leaf.
Mike CGW
 
wombat457 said:
And where exactly did anyone say they were "banned"? I really wish people would read what was written instead of making things up to suit themselves.
Click to expand...
The red stuff you posted said they were out of scope for this coffee shop and not to be posted. (My words of interpretation)

whether you want to quibble on the word “ban” is your business. Saying those sorts of train related posts were not welcome here in the shop is the same as a “ban”.
 


troyphoto said:
Question:
Is this a rule from the past, or a convention that some would like to have enforced as a rule?
Click to expand...
I've been coming to this coffee shop for ten years in July. If it was a rule, it has never been enforced or mentioned that I know of. In fact, just the opposite!

My friend, Jeffery, aka Dr, Frankendiesel, aka Running Bear for whom this coffee shop thread is named routinely posted pictures of his layout, almost daily! As did GarryCBQ, Chet and others did. Willie, Karl and others are carrying on a long-established tradition in this coffee shop.

In all those years I only saw one poster who complained some things should be in a separate thread. No one agreed with him. Several of us disagreed.

Since I have been coming to this coffee shop. I heard several times members suggest I make a separate thread. Not because they did not want to see my posts. These suggestions were made to benefit me. I was told I may find an answer more quickly if I used a separate thread as it would expose my question to members who don't visit our coffee shop. There are many expert members that don't frequent our coffee shop.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top