Modeling forums question - Please respond

Our modeling forums (for each scale) consist of multiple forums.

Would you prefer to have one single forum for each scale and no sub forums? In other words, there would be an HO forum, an N Scale forum, etc. - one forum for each scale.

There are not a lot of posts in any one forum and I think it would make things easier. For example, I am an N Scaler and I would prefer to have one forum for all N Scale modeling discussions.

Please vote your preference.

Charlie

 

Crap, I screwed up and clicked no. I meant yes. Sorry. I misunderstood at first. Do you mean eliminate all the sub topics like structures, motive power etc?

 

Just for the sake of discussion, in the N Scale "section" there are 8 different forums. For the entire life of the forum there have been only 52 threads started. During the year 2012, there have been only five active threads in all of those forums combined.

One of my big disagreements with the "if it ain't broke..." philosophy is that I usually think that things can be improved on. My experience with running forums has taught me that although there is resistance to change, later people usually look at things and say, "Yeah, this is better after all."

Based on the numbers I quoted in the N Scale section, there would be no searching nightmare in that group of forums and I believe that having a single N Scale forum would make the content far less convoluted.

Charlie

 

Basically. What I am saying is that there would be a single HO Forum, a single N Forum, and so on. These modeling forums are hardly on fire and I think a single forum makes it a lot easier.

Charlie

 

I'm all for that. Kinda like trimming some of the fat off. The search feature can help narrow things down if needed.

 

We can always change it back if it does not work right? I seem to always look at all posts from all forums anyway.
Tom Holley

 

Just so everyone really understands, with the proposal, there will be no modeling sub-forums (Diesel Locomotives, Steam Locomotives, etc), just one big HO forum, one big N forum etc.

 

I didn't know you could filter N from HO scales anyway. And like I say for myself, I am always glad to see what Manny, Charlie, Keith, or Jim James or anyone else, from any scale, or forum, is up to, or is building. My "Log on screen" shows all scales and forums we are referring to. I am still trying to find the pages referred to in the whole "venting post". I am personally close to the "technology" saturation level for a bit
Tom Holley

 

I'll update you guys on what I mean later. Obviously, some misunderstandings.

Sent from my Motorola Electrify using Tapatalk 2

 

I am going to go a little bit more into detail as to what this change is and why I think we need it.

I've received a couple of private messages from people who think that I am suggesting that there be one big model railroad forum and you would not know what scale is even being talked about. No, not at all.

I realize that some folks do not understand what this even means so here we go...

Here is what we have for each modeling scale right now (I will use N Scale as an example):

- Modeling the Frisco (Category)
-- N Scale (Category)
--- General (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Steal Locomotives (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Diesel Locomotives (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Passenger Locomotives (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Freight Equipment (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Cabooses (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Maintenance of Way (Forum)
---- Individual Topics
--- Structures (Forum)
---- Individual Topics

Before I go any further let me say that I am not criticizing Mike or the way he set this up. This is just a discussion of something that could (I think would) work better.

In spite of this fairly massive structure of forums, all of which are dedicated to N Scale modeling of the Frisco, there were only FIVE ACTIVE THREADS DURING THE YEAR 2012! (Again, all of the other scales have all of these forums too.)

So, what kind of posts might be made in these forums?

These are just examples, but...

1) Micro-Trains releases a new Frisco boxcar. Woo hoo, I'm excited now! Where do I post this? Well, probably in the "Freight Equipment" forum right? Maybe. There is a thread called "Manufactured N Scale Releases" in the "General" forum. Maybe it goes there?

2) I finally got the basement ready to start constructing my layout (I wish!) and I want to post pictures of my benchwork and get some advice. Where does that go? Hmmm, "General" probably.

3) But, I get into it pretty quickly and I want to talk about a station that I am building. Now, do I start a new thread in the "Structures" forum or just keep it in the thread about my layout? I'm not sure.

If I want to look at all the N Scale posts, I need to make quite a few mouse clicks! These model railroading forums are not on fire here. There are only a few posts so no one would have trouble keeping up, even if you don't visit for a month.

Here's what I am suggesting is that the modeling forums look like this (compared to the example above):

- Modeling the Frisco (Category)
-- General (Forum)
-- FMIG Lines: Layouts (Forum)
-- G Scale (Forum)
-- S Scale (Forum)
-- O Guage/Scale (Forum)
-- S Scale (Forum)
-- HO Scale (Forum)
-- N Scale (Forum)
-- Z Scale (Forum)
-- V (Virtual) Scale (Forum)
-- Electrical/Electronics (Forum)
-- General Modeling Tips (Forum)

The forum "Other Scales" has only two threads and could be combined with "General." The forum "New Products" would be better scale specific. In other words, post new N Scale releases in the N Scale forum.

So, will this make things convoluted? Not likely...

In the N Scale forum, (not a lot of posts made in a year) topics might look like this:

- Manufactured N Scale Releases (Topic that exists now)
- Pictures of my N Scale layout
- Will a manufacturer ever release a Frisco Doodlebug?
- How many boxcars are in your collection?
- What state do you model?
- Help me learn about couplers
- What is the best rack to use?
- Have the Athearn hoppers arrived yet?

Okay, these are just examples but all of those things can work in the same single forum because they are all N SCALE topics and are in the N scale forum! All HO would be in the HO Forum and so forth.

I don't thing we need separate forums for steam and diesel and structures, etc.

Again, this is only about the MODELING AREA OF THE FORUM.

If you feel differently, please state your case.

Thanks for reading and if I still have not made this clear, please say so. I am not out to confuse people here.

Charlie

 

I follow you, man. I've had the same problem of where to post what during my Zalma Branch thread and related projects. Which forum heading to put what where. I tried to make a good guess but maybe not always. Not a big deal really but cleaning things up and improving efficiency sounds like a good goal to work towards. Just one hillbilly's opinion of course. I hate any hard feelings to arise from any honest efforts though. I think all you guys are awesome and well intentioned. I read all new posts anyway. I check this site many many times a day because its like keeping up with friends.

 

You just hit the nail right square on the head Jim. The goal is to make the forum as user-friendly as possible. There are a lot of little tweaks that will make the forum easier to use and it will not hurt the content at all. In fact, all changes will be designed to make things better.

I don't want people to think that I am some kid that wants to chrome plate everything and make the site look like some of the circuses you see on the net. I am actually older-headed that my age. I will be 50 in May by the way. When I am at home my wife gets mad at me because any unattended TV is turned to Turner Classic Movies. I listen to music from the 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. In most areas of life I DO NOT like change.

I've said it before but none of the changes we can make here should upset anyone. And, if you don't like changes that are made or proposed, tell me why and what it is that you don't like. We are going to work together.

Charlie