Honestly I think a lot of the frustration comes from the fact that many of these subjects have been discussed at great length over and over and over.

I think some people feel it is lazy to open up a new thread saying "Hey what's the status of Old 97's restoration?" and expect someone to take the time and effort to regurgitate the same thing, which was said in a thread a week, a month, three months, even a year ago.

Maybe it is my nature and I'm different, but I usually try to figure out the answer to something before I seek help, that includes doing my research/homework.

That's the whole point of this site, is for research and learning, which is why people ask questions on here. It's understandable that people don't want to re-discuss topics on here that have been beaten to death in the past, but to be essentially screamed at for asking a question the RYPN regulars don't feel like answering again is ridiculous. Yes, there may be another thread on the topic, but that's no excuse to be rude and snotty about it. Many people new to this site may not realize there's a search section (I didn't when I first came here), and if you search something like "328," you will get EVERY mention of that number in EVERY thread it's mentioned in. In addition to that, sometimes the topic you want to know about hasn't actually been discussed on here, but that doesn't stop the regulars from telling you to search for it. Several times, I've asked questions, been told to the search section to find it, and came up with NOTHING, because the question I had had NEVER been discussed before. Can you see how frustrating that is?

Bottom line, this comes back to the previous topics on why the younger generation is shying away from this particular area of interest. Those in the know seem to have a real issue with answering questions.

Once again, tell me how I am being rude or moderator intervention-worthy by pointing out his specific question has been answered before and answers could be found via the search feature. Unlike your hypothetical, his answer was in those threads. I didn't SCREAM, I didn't respond in ALL CAPS, I didn't call him names or resort to an ad homenim attack.

Mark, the ironic thing is that you and Brian accuse me of jumping down his throat when the only people jumping down anyone's throat are you two jumping down mine.

I am a younger person involved in railway preservation, so please do not lecture me on how my response is the cause for people my age and younger for not getting involved.

I wander around and check other sites, and I'll have to give the tin whistle to RYPN for being the snarkiest.
I guess it kind of parrots society in general any more. I've seen more than one person ask a valid, innocent question (Not like the one I just asked about 1361. I try to bring some levity to the situation sometimes) and then the snark pencils get sharpened.
I can remember many years ago, maybe 60, when I asked a model RR club guy what I thought was a simple question and got one of those sneering answers which basically said, go away kid, you're too dumb to play with the big kids here. Kind of like Congress.
When we initially restored 1522, you can imagine the questions we would be asked on a workday. Our "leader" at the time would give snotty answers or just tell them they were in the way and we don't have time to talk. I asked him "What if that was somebody wanting to know what we are up to and could he donate money, tools or whatever"?
A little plain simple down to earth courtesy goes a long way. Everybody gets their panties in a wad any more.

Looks to me like a reaction to the noise to signal ration between informative substantive threads like the 4501 and property reversion threads and the less substantive and repetative gossipy inquiries. This has also been commented on...and some questions - like this one - should probably go on the railfanning forum rather than this one. It's discouraging to see a devolution towards the lowest common denominator........when there's better things that could go on.

Can't we encourage raising the bar and promoting a higher quality of inquiry and information?

dave

If my rant towards the general attitude when it comes to asking questions on this site came off as being directed solely at you, I apologize. I was responding to your comment about seeking out information before asking for it, and I diverted off into a general rant about how people on this site act.

I still stand by what I said though.

So, I may have been the last person to have posted on the LAST thread related to NP328, and that was about 7 months ago. And when I saw this topic, I simply provided an answer to the question.

The person who asked the question this time is a relative newcomer, here LESS THAN A YEAR, and if anyone bothered to read his profile, is a 17 year old with an interest in railroads. Not an experienced hand here at RYPN. I don't think he was even a member when the last NP328 thread went extinct. So let's give him (and all of us) a break.

As for the Search feature, I have used it and it does require some experience to actually find what you are looking for. Mostly you get far more than you anticipated and it is difficult to sort out the wheat from the chaff. It is simpler for an inexperienced person to ask a question than spend a lot of time figuring out search strategies that will effectively give you what you want.

And if, after looking at the subject of a thread, it is of no interest, why not just leave it alone and look at other, more interesting threads. That is certainly more productive than throwing sand in the air and complaining when the grit falls on the back of your neck!

I am pretty young, 16 to be exact, and just about every person older then me will think that "oh he's only 16 he must know nothing." No, railroading, steam locomotives, and HO scale trains are what I know the most about and can have a conversation with anyone about any of those. That's what I spend my time reading, learning, and doing on a regular basis.
I entirely understand the frustration of having to rediscuss an already discussed and abused topic but what I hate is when a link is posted that is OLD. When we ask a question like what's the status of so and so's restoration we want as current of an update as we can get. NOT something 7 months old cause things can change very fast.
I try not to be rude but I'll fight back if i'm being singled out. A lot of times I have to say, sorry for asking so many questions cause I don't want people going, ugh just shut up already or something like that. No one has the right to be snarky or rude for asking questions. This is a general statement and not directed at anyone in particular. I go here for a lot of steam related news being there are so many people on here that should know being involved with said organizations.
It is true that after I asked a question about what ever happened to Polson Logging 2-8-2 #90's planned restoration in the early 2000's, my old account got deleted, I thought that was very messed up. Excuse me for not knowing anything about it when there's no where to go to read something on it. I generally always asked about west coast steam locomotives and common replies were, why do you want to know or it happened years ago so why does it matter. I want to know WHY said restorations didn't happen or haven't been updated in years. I don't plan to ask those questions anymore in fear of being deleted again but I will stand my ground that Mark is entirely right that people on here are the reason my generation is scared of asking questions related to steam.

Hamster for the win!

And that, my friends, is how the Internet should be used.

Like button for hamster and RJD.

Howard P.

Dave asked "What did I say that was so wrong?"

Re-read :
Use the "search" feature for the board, this has been discussed, possibly within the last 2-3 months. Several years ago, the Amherst Railway Society donated good money to RYPN so all former posts could be indexed for search purposes. Let's use it.

For me it was not the direct wording, but the intended meaning which would be:

We're tired of talking about this subject. We just discussed it. Why don't you use the "search" feature? You know, Amherst donated good money so all foamers can find what they need to know, and not bother us. Use it.

That was what.

Look at the third post, or others. I'm not the only one who feels like this. It's just not frendly here anymore. A certain few people have taken it upon themselves to moderate the board by replying to questions and steering unwanted (by them) or useless (to them) questions away via criticism or sarcasim.

Just read and be happy. If you dont like the thread, go to the next one. Unless you are a moderator, you have no right to tell other people how to do anything here.

Brian

Oh, if only. IF ONLY.......

I've been waiting for something to "change very fast" on most of the projects, locomotives, cars, etc. with which I've worked, contributed, etc. for years, and in some cases DECADES. If any change ever comes swiftly, it's typically of a negative nature--a project or railroad is shut down, mothballed, or liquidated. Nobody tries to get a 4-8-4 steaming in 28 days anymore--at least no one in their right minds, and certainly no one hoping for the darned project to be a long-term operation.

The problem we often run into is that we don't have an online equivalent of the Strasburg's chalking of huge letters on the side of N&W 475's boiler in the 1980s/1990s as it sat outside their shop for years: "DON'T ASK WHEN!!" It'll be done when they're good and ready, thank you, and no amount of pleading and begging from anyone but a well-heeled lottery winner or wealthy tycoon is going to speed matters along.

Anyone here who is a parent is probably familiar with the stage most children go through where they reply to virtually any answer to a question with "But WHY????" As much as you may explain matters as concisely and completely as possible, you're eventually reduced to those words you swore as a kid you'd never use as an adult, and yet end up barking anyway: "Because I said so, that's why!!"

And if those that truly know that said project is simply caught in a vicious circle of doom don't reply with "here are the previous threads...", the door is left open for all sorts of "contributions" from less informed parties that feel free to throw up any wild speculation imaginable. Don't believe me? Go look at a more popular, more populated forum where half the responses may be of this type:


There's a car I deal with that had its "post-restoration debut" about a year ago. Since then, as of last week or so it still has masking tape on various spots in the insides, cardboard and plastic on the refinished floor, "duct tape" holding one cabinet shut, etc. and has mechanical guys monkeying with various parts. I've become old/mature enough to know enough not to ask them "when's it gonna be done?" Because, you know, as soon as they're done, they got three more cars waiting for them, at least, never mind continuing troubleshooting and maintenance on the "regulars" of the fleet.....

Brian, that's really good advice. You should follow it.

Yes, it's true 328 continues with restoration. My son and I are involved in the weekly club there, where young people learn about railroading! The hope is to have 328 ready within the next 5 years I believe? Jackson Street is an awesome museum! We have seen 328 recently on a Saturday when the shed was open.