Model Train Journal

Look at the bottom. We have a new member!
I hope they will begin participating in our form of insanity here on MTJ.
Don't wait or think about it. Just jump right in and have FUN!

Looks like you scared them off! I don't see any names listed........unless their name is "Board Index"!

E7 wrote:Looks like you scared them off! I don't see any names listed........unless their name is "Board Index"!

It's at the bottom of the main MTJ page..... Our newest member strasburgmeet

HONDO74 wrote:

E7 wrote:Looks like you scared them off! I don't see any names listed........unless their name is "Board Index"!

It's at the bottom of the main MTJ page..... Our newest member strasburgmeet

My bad. There have been quite a few sign up lately, but very few post. Can't say that I blame them....to quote Groucho Marx: "I wouldn't want to associate with anyone who would associate with the likes of me!"

E7 wrote:

HONDO74 wrote:

E7 wrote:Looks like you scared them off! I don't see any names listed........unless their name is "Board Index"!

It's at the bottom of the main MTJ page..... Our newest member strasburgmeet

My bad. There have been quite a few sign up lately, but very few post. Can't say that I blame them....to quote Groucho Marx: "I wouldn't want to associate with anyone who would associate with the likes of me!"

This is the first one since FM2 in July.

rogruth wrote:

E7 wrote:

HONDO74 wrote:
It's at the bottom of the main MTJ page..... Our newest member strasburgmeet

My bad. There have been quite a few sign up lately, but very few post. Can't say that I blame them....to quote Groucho Marx: "I wouldn't want to associate with anyone who would associate with the likes of me!"

This is the first one since FM2 in July.

Using the term loosely to mean the last 2 or 3 years. Looking at the list of "newest" to join, I notice most join and are never heard from thereafter, which makes me wonder why they bothered?

Roger,

Check out the member list (goes back to 2003). The members Tag and the number of posts the make/made are listed. It is enlightening.

E7,
I have done that and that is one of the reasons I used to encourage new members to post.
That seemed to be a waste of time.
Some forums have a topic where new members can introduce themselves or old members
can welcome new members. Over time I have come to think that most of the members
here really do not want more members or they might tell their friends about MTJ and
encourage them to take part. Or as you stated they sign up and decide they don't
want to be part of MTJ. I know this is true of several that post on MTF. There are also
some that post on MTJ and MTF. There are also some that post on OGR and maybe
on the CTT forum. I can't encourage my friends to participate here because all of
my train friends already do.
I have made it clear that even with all the faults that some see on MTJ, MTJ
is my favorite.

Roger,

Hard to say why it is. The only other person I knew that had an interest in model railroading, just up and quit one day! He doesn't have a computer, so he wouldn't be posting here whatever the case, but that illustrates how people are. You don't have to join the forum to read the posts, so it's not like they are joining and then finding they don't like the discussions. The Club Car gets a little rowdy on occasion, but you can opt not to go there. One thing, it's an old guys game and some of them here have passed on! Quien Sabe!

All true. And I am getting closer all the time.

I lurk here periodically. I've actually been a member here since quite some time ago. I don't really know that there is an answer about getting more people to post. Does it matter? Not a rhetorical question. I don't know the goals or purpose. Is growth needed to maintain the forum?

Some of the reasons I feel less inclined to post here are the same reasons why I like reading here! It's a small tight knit group including some very knowledgeable and intelligent people, and those people like to post here more so than elsewhere. Changing it would tend toward making it more like elsewhere.

Are there members here who literally do not read other O scale train forums? If that's the case, I would like to share photos and posts about my layout. Otherwise, I feel like I am double posting.

I guess I feel like I mainly come here to learn stuff and don't really have anything I can really add to the knowledge base. I have learned a lot on this forum. Its a funny balance, most of us are less skilled than some and more skilled than others. To me "sharing" something often feel like boasting, or as ignorance as to how crappy or ill conceived the something is. Either way I avoid that because I see a whole lot of talented people out there with great layouts and/or beautiful models. I admit, I can be thin skinned. It's a problem.

Come on in and post some stuff!

The electrons are just fine,

484,
I post a lot here, a little on MTF. I may still be able to post on CTT and OGR but have not in a long time.
I usually only visit OGR and CTT when a reference is made to it on something posted here.
The other forums just are not as much fun to me.
Your post above makes some valid points. Why register on a forum and never post if you only want to read it?
I mention this regarding the large number of members that have never posted anything.
There have also been a few that made one or two posts that stirred the pot but had nothing to add after the initial stirring.

I have always gotten answers to questions that I have posed here. That has not been true on some other forums.
For me trains of any type are a hobby. Many years ago I was taught that hobbies were fun and I try to have FUN.

pennsy484 wrote: ...snip... I avoid that because I see a whole lot of talented people out there with great layouts and/or beautiful models.

Talented, I am not; here are photos of my layout:




Note that I am mainly a two-railer but the D. C.* Central is all that I have at the moment.

* D. C. = Dirty Carpet

rogruth wrote: ...snip... There have also been a few that made one or two posts that stirred the pot but had nothing to add after the initial stirring. ...snip...

Maybe that was their reason for joining. Just a thought.

J. S. Bach wrote:

rogruth wrote: ...snip... There have also been a few that made one or two posts that stirred the pot but had nothing to add after the initial stirring. ...snip...

Maybe that was their reason for joining. Just a thought.

Dave,
You could be right but I have trouble thinking like that. I do understand that some are not happy unless they are upsetting other people.
I don't understand that at all.