[Semper Vaporo]

Several years ago my son was living in New Jersey and I was planning a trip to go see him one summer. About that time there was a RR group that was asking for donations to "Save the Brooklyn Roundhouse" and in my reading of this place I became intrigued and decided that I would donate to the cause...

But I wanted to do it "in person", so... seeing as that I was going to be in New Jersey and just a few miles across New York Harbor from "Brooklyn", I started to search maps for the location of this Roundhouse in "Brooklyn". I hunted for a long time, following RR tracks on the maps looking for a "Roundhouse" or a "yard" or anything that I could use to find the place.

After much searching, I contacted one of the principles in the endeavour and it turns out this "Brooklyn Roundhouse" is in Portland, Oregon... about 2887 miles from where I would be. I did not get to visit

and they did not get my donation.

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Based on some random comments by some of the participants of the threads about this "Wee/Big/Little/whatever Train Show" in "Ontario", I am guessing that it is going to be somewhere in the United States, probably in Southern California, but just saying it is in "Ontario" leaves one wondering if it will be somewhere on the Northern shores of the Great Lakes, or maybe a bit farther north, up around Hudson's Bay!

After a quick search of some maps I see it could also be in any of 3 places in Ohio, as well as New York, Minnesota, or Texas!

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It took me a couple of years to learn that the "International Small Scale Steam Up" was not held on the slopes of a volcano in Hawaii! I coud not figure out how people were "driving" to it from Michigan!


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I have the same problem with Newspaper and TV web sites... There are dozens of Newspapers named "Tribune" and many multiples of others named "Gazette", "Star" and/or "News" and there are likewise many Channel 2's, 4's, 9's and all the other numbers, but many of them are apparently so disenchanted with, or embarrassed about, where they are that few of the web sites have any indication as to what city (or even State or Country) that the web site pertains to.
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Its a great big world out there... please be more specific as to a location you want to talk about... especially if you are expecting people to be planning a trip to visit the location upon which you expound.

YOU may know the where you are talking about, it might be a subject that you know like the back of your hand, but the rest of us may not know which hand you are referring to.




Thanky Kindly....

 

[Dwight Ennis]

The BTS is in Ontario, southern CA.

 

[Mik]

I TRIED to get to a show a few years ago (antique construction machinery, not toy trains) ALL their advertising simply said "Brownsville, Pa".... So I WENT to Brownsville, no signs in downtown, just 7 or 8 blocks of boarded up stores. 4 gas station stops later we finally found a clerk who knew how to get there.... 2 miles west of town, back a narrow dirt lane. I said something to the club's secretary about the lack of signage, and scanty address. She responded, "People know where we are." Ummmmm, yeah. I just shook my head and walked away.

 

[Gary Armitstead]

Semper,

You're comment about being more specific about locations is a great suggestion. And in that same context, it is REALLY disconcerting that profiles of members here is lacking in ANY kind of information relating to location. We are all members of a "railroading community. Some people have commented that they don't want to be specific with info on their profile because of spam, identity theft, etc. But the total lack of info here in this forum has gone to the other extreme now. There's a handle and nothing else. It's very difficult to answer a question that someone posts if you don't even know a name or location. I wish this would change. Just my rant. Sorry. I'm off my soap box now. Back to my chooch.

 

[wchasr]

It's one thing to have a location in your profile or on your "handle/avatar/etc. but when you bring up a subject that is location specific and are vague about the location then some clarification is suggested. It's an etiquette thing really and some folks are really good about being specific and others simply forget. Personally I do not let it bug me much and if I'm interested then I ask (if someone hasn't beat me to it).

Chas

 

[joe rusz]

"There's a handle and nothing else. "

Gary, I am with you on this. It annoys me that when you try to figure out who wrote a post (and why), ya can't find anything except their handle in their profile. I know there are phishers and spies in the internet world, but leaving out basic data such as what part of the world you live in and who you are goes beyond simple paranoia. And frankly, it makes me think these people are trolls.

So there!

 

[R.W. Marty]

Gary & Joe,
I agree completely with your statements.
A number of times I have thought to reply to a question or statement but after
checking the profile have found nothing to base an answer on.

Example, "Is frost heave a worry?" signed; XYZ7 How in **** can you respond to that
with no profile information?


Now saying that, I checked my Profile. Having been a member here since the
Utah Garden RR web site days and having filled out all the profile questions long ago,
I find that my profile now lists my name and membership since 2008 nothing else.
Seems it was all lost or discarded during one of the "big updates" that made things easier.

A few thoughts.
Maybe a lot of folks, like me, don't bother/have time/ think of/ or care to check and update their profile
on a regular basis.

Maybe "what's the point it will just be deleted again", or I have been here for years everybody that's anybody
knows who I am. Then there is always the, HUH? What profile?

Possibly new people seeing all these blank profiles by "members" are even more reluctant to share any information.

Personally I read several forums as I'm sure others do and I find most of them very cold and basically unfriendly
especially to newcomers. It takes quite a while for people to realize they have entered a different kind of web-world
when they come to MLS and one or two other similar places.

Perhaps a request/explanation for "basic" information; Name.. Rick -- Location.. Northern California could be
added to the sign up page this would not compromise anybodies security and would give responders some chance
to offer useful information.

A simple signature (name) at the end of a post is only, in my opinion, common courtesy.

Thanks for your time
I will now update my profile
Rick Marty

 

[Gary Armitstead]

Outstanding answer to what has been my pet peeve ever since the new forum went up last year. I've been a member since 2000 and a payimg member since 2002. But there is nothing here to show that. It seems that information could have been transderred. JMHO

 

[Bills]

I don't want anyone to know where I live, but, you can tell from my accent

 

[nkelsey]

Do not forget Ontario, Oregon, on the Idaho Border, the only city in Oregon that is Mountain Time instead of Pacific Time.

 

[astrayelmgod]

You're lucky it wasn't in Glendale. I counted 38 of those one rainy day.

And you can't rely on Google Maps to tell you, either, it gives you.... well, whatever comes up first, I guess.

 

[jamarti]

Sempo/Gary.

ditto !!! I was able to figure out Ontario, California only because I flew into their airport on a trip to Palm Springs, CALIFORNIA.

 

[John J]

I agree with all you guy as I am guilty of some of the stuff you complain about. I will try to correct that defect in the future.

I also agree if you name is not in your handle then you should post your name at the end of your post.

I also wish people would put a little more in their profile At least their real name even if it is only their first and also WHAT PART OF THE DING DANG FOREST YOU LIVE IN. Not necessarily the street address but at at least the town state and or country

PS Afeter posting the above addtions to this thread I checked my profile and found my self guilty of not posting WHAT DING DANG PART OF THE FOREST I LIVED IN after which I promptly correct my error.

 

[Bills]

While all of us are honest, there are other people who will use information found on the web for their own gain, additionally, some of you guys are nuts, and I don’t want you tracking me down for some perceived insult.

 

[Pete Thornton]

I actually went looking for a loco at the Huntington Railroad Museum near Bowie, MD (about 10 miles from my home.) One of our brethren wanted photos of C&O Mallet Freight Locomotive #1308. I looked and looked but all I found was a caboose:

When I got home and looked it up on google, it turned out there was a Railroad Museum of Huntington, WV, with a really big loco: C&O 1308!

 

[mack505]

Posted By R.W. Marty on 01/08/2009 6:00 PM

Personally I read several forums as I'm sure others do and I find most of them very cold and basically unfriendly
especially to newcomers. It takes quite a while for people to realize they have entered a different kind of web-world
when they come to MLS and one or two other similar places.


Hear, hear. I was recently surfing a number of vehicle-specific forums looking for information on one of my cars. I did not join, mainly because the response to questions from newcomers was generally, "That's been covered before. Use the Search function, Noob!" I used the Search function to find the information I was seeking and left. Won't be back until I need more information. MLS is definitely different in this regard.