Speaking as someone who is anonymous but doesn’t really have anything to hide, why?

What purpose exists for you to know who people are? And what process exists for people to be actually vetted in? Are you going to require I-9 forms and a full background check to be filled out to participate here? Seems like a breach of privacy and a court case waiting to happen.

All of the problems you list out could very well happen with people who have nothing to lose and yet have their full names in neon lights on this sub. Clearly given the arguments on many parts of this site, anonymity has proven to not be the reason this site has lost credibility in the recent past. See who’s actually participated in those arguments and you’ll find a healthy mix of people both with anonymous profiles and those with even some well known names that are engaging in sparring matches.

And by the way, if this site has “lost credibility”, and this site has never required the use of identification, clearly this site had “strong credibility” with loads of anonymous users.

The problems that exist with RYPN, from my perspective, come from two things: complaining about anything under the sun, which include tons of nitpicking, and arguing about issues that don’t require 15 pages of comments to fully discuss. This site does not exist to go over big events in preservation or to spread our fundraising information, or to highlight recent progress in the restoration or acquisition of pieces, but instead to focus on the negative, and often needless politics that sometimes do come with this industry.

A new build NYC Hudson could be seriously announced by well respected people and with serious funding, and there would be more posting about something minor that involved partisan politics.

Most of the kids in school who were a "hall monitor" were slackers that would do any job to get out of class. I doubt any of them did it for power. However, the fact that you specifically mention this really puts a spot light on your vision. When in a position of power you have authority over the masses. Anonymity gives your a power. The rest of us have to be civil and polite, while you can spew whatever rhetoric you feel like whenever, with no fear of retribution from anyone. And, nothing can be stronger than the fear from when the power you have may be threatened. We see it every 4 years from a political candidates, and between the lines of your response. I bet you volunteered to be a hall monitor every week, let's be honest.

I just noticed that there is a Friend & Foe setting in the User Control Panel to hide messages from anyone that you find offensive, etc.

I'm usually looking for information or help on this site; so, if allowing anonymity improves the odds that someone will offer or provide helpful information to repair something then I value allowing anonymous users.

If it ever comes to the point of precluding "anonymous users" then could the moderators consider making an Anonymous Interchange Section to allow us to post questions where we are more likely to get responses?

I could post under my actual name, but it wouldn't mean any more to anyone than the handle I use. There is exactly ONE person that is anyone of note in rail preservation that has even the SLIGHTEST idea who I am, and even that is an arms length acquaintance.

I posted this picture a while ago and I had people threatening me and some "EBT bounty hunter" actively trying to find out my personal information. Over a picture.

Going to be an absolutely not from me.

As of 7:05 PM EDT, July 2, 2023, there are 33 votes total, and 20 against banning Anonymous Profiles ------- yes one of those no votes was mine.

So Yes, this website has less going for it than my TINY extended Family.

I'm retired now, but there is NO WAY I think the folks younger than me should risk their careers because some Arm Chair Expert hiding in Mommy's Basement (or attic) & who is too @#$%^& to THINK about how reality can devastate one's career with Untended Consequences is whining for the gazillionth time.

Are You Old Enough To Remember IRQ Switching Puzzles When You Got A New Expansion Board????

This tread has provided LOTS of Real World Reasons why a professional Railroad Professional would not want to be OUTED as a rail fan in a Corporate Employment situation. With so many EXCELLENT reasons to not chase away the personal expertise, I still would like my tiny little experience of how being labeled a RAILFAN can hobble your Career.


BRIAN HELFRICH --RETIRED MOW PEON FROM THE DEVIL'S RAILROAD.

I remember how this website sh_&-+65_&&$ All over the T1 Trust folks when they first started up.

Yet here we are, years later, and a donated bootle of booze every month from little old me.

The boiler shell was hauled around to a certain PRR Historical group's convention hotel. Did this website receive any invites?

Brian

Yes, we should all use our real names. If you don't think enough of what you're posting to attached your name to it....well that says a lot in and of itself.

I strongly attach much more credibility to postings signed by the poster vs. those using phony names and always have.

If your professional railroad status would be in danger by posting using your real name then the answer is simple....don't post.


IMHO-Ross Rowland

NYCRRSON here, I have chosen a "generic" but accurate posting name. Seems I provided enough info so folks could take my posts with or without a grain of salt.

I was born in Buffalo NY in the late 1950's, my Pop was "engaged in the employ of the New York Central Railroad (Lines East)" in 1941. Was "Set Up" as a passenger qualified steam locomotive engineer (under the NYCRR rules in the 1950's).

I was never a "qualified"/"licensed" railroad locomotive engineer, but I did learn quite alot from Pops.

I personally have three college degrees and over 20 United States Patents (some of which I shared the "inventor" status with other very smart folks). I have worked on Satellite systems that are flying over all of our heads as we speak taking "Google Earth" images of your front yard.

I am Kevin J Klees living near Rochester NY. You can find me in the United States Patent Office as an "inventor".

If you object to opinions from "folks outside of your club" you might want to OPEN your horizons....



Yes Indeed, do not offer any alternative thoughts about how to preserve/operate railroad steam locomotives that almost 99.999% of the general public could not care less about..

So, I'm following Russ and his directive; "Don't Post"... Good luck....

Hard no. I'm well aware anyone with two working brain cells can work out my name from the username; but that was my choice. The last thing this forum needs is to enforce id checks and the like. RYPN already gets enough ribbing on other sites; we don't need to add another thing to the pile. I come here because there is less hostility compared to some other sites; and the knowledge is usually spread out among all topics. Also how exactly are you proposing that a person's id be verified; otherwise someone could claim to be anyone. Let's be honest for a moment; the security of the site is ..... not the greatest; at least several times a year google chrome says the certificates are expired or something is suspicious with it. Are you suggesting we send in a picture of our state IDs, or is it just the honor system?

When I originally joined here, at Dave Lathrop's request, I remember a strong discouragement of 'anonymous' accounts; I have brought this up a couple of times previously. One part of that request was to put the name in the signature, which I and a number of others do.

There's a long tradition of using 'handles' to reduce emphasis on a person's name -- 'tubalcain' and 'LBSC' are a couple in the model-steam community. "By their works shall ye know them" and all that.

Both here and on the Trains forums, there are a number of people who, for various reasons, use 'handles' for identity and don't want their names or other details publicized. In fact, one member over there said he was 'doxxed' with malicious intent, so far as to contact officials of the college at which he worked trying to get him dismissed, and he terminated all association with Kalmbach after that. So there are very real conditions under which people wish -- legitimately -- to keep their personal life stringently divorced from forum activity.

Where I have a problem is the 'keyboard warriors' who contribute only acrimony and quick judgment. While that's an exercise of free speech, I don't come here to read political opinion and the like, or grudge deathmatches between people with different opinions on things. THOSE are the 'anonymous' users whose accounts should be mandatorily moderated or otherwise restricted.

Please note... the pole posted in this thread is in no way associated with the people managing RYPN... and the results will have no authority...

The issue has been discussed extensively behind the scenes (but not recently)... and those who set up the site originally, and those currently running the site have always felt that there was value in allowing anonymous posts.

One of several always friendly moderators

Since i use my real name in AOTT i don't care about be Anonymous or not... If a choice no ban
AND
(Mostly when i write something, Anonymous or not, many of you don't care to just comment so)

But I learn each day (thank google too) about the American Railroad so thank to you

...let's guess how I vote...

My People (German) expressed 1000 years of Deutsches Reich. 1/3 of my fellow germans
lived decades in the DDR.
I myself fought years against the census planned in 1981. Our Supreme Court decited
every personal question has to be removed and the complete anonymity of the census.
Finally it was held in 1987.

Yes freedom is something worth to fight for. If you think the 20+ secret services of the most
free nation on earth did not read here, think again.

:-) Eric

P.S.
If there are so much quote
"...endless ranting, irrelevant opinions, and their expertise..."
remove their accounts. Period.

I'll just go by my handle thank you. Other than the Wheeling and Lake Erie, which I love. They gave me my start in railroading over 30 years ago. I don't mention railroads or names. And of course, the outcomes are applicable to every railroad. On the other hand, I don't remember a lot of people's names. I've slept since then.