Randy,

Following your suggestion to comment on photos linked to E-Bay. I think that they are a waste of space here. They are a commercial interuption of the preservation discussions here.

If you want to collect pictures got to E-Bay and buy as many overpriced photos as you want.

I would prefer to see links to photo archives such as
NERAIL appear here.

I like photos; those that showed the two new locomotives recently added to the Illinois Railway Museum collection were good preservation news, showing the work involved in rescuing equipment from a difficult location.

That's my soap box for now,

Ted Miles

I don't see anything wrong in showing the links for the Ebay photos, because if a person on here that collects the photos, I think it's ok. because those's photos are a pice of railroad history and should be saved!

I feel maybe we should have a board just for pictures of the past though, Something like Railroad.net or Railfan.net or even Trainorders.com has. What would it hurt?

Len.

When a large number of eBay images come through to me with a request for posting, I have been trying to limit the number. The individual submitting them wishes to do so as a contribution, not a burden. If the moderators would prefer not to have them listed, they should contact me and I will relate that request to the submitter.

On a personal note, I have agreed to post the pictures on behalf of the other person as a courtesy to a friend and a solid railroad historian. While he and I have had a similar exchange to those posted above, there is no question that his anecdotal references heighten the interest and value of the pictures.

The moderators should reach consensus and I will abide by whatever their wishes dictate.

Keep the pictures.

They are much better than people using pseudonyms posting rumors. Or buffie posts better suited for Trainorders or Railfan.net. That's what needs to stop.

Rob

Agreed!!!!!

Len.

I don't have a problem with the Ebay pics, it's just another source of historic photos we may not otherwise get a chance to see, and so long as they are somehow preservation-related I say keep 'em coming. On the other hand, perhaps it would make sense to combine them into one daily post, rather than creating a separate topic for each one. That way, those of us who see a value in these postings can continue to enjoy them, and those who choose to skip them can do so more easily. I've seen interesting discussions get pushed back to the second page because they got buried by all the photo posts, so I can see how that could be annoying to some.

I find the posting of e-bay photos helpful in acquiring photos of the locomotives in our collection. I don't always search e-bay for those photos. If someone else posts those photos it helps me find photos to add to our collection.

My only problem with the picture posts is that too many times I have seen a worthwhile post that may be of limited appeal pushed down off the first page, perhaps before it has a chance to be read by a majority of readers. The idea of a daily log or a forum specifically for photos would solve this.

Roger

I'm wondering why Ted felt the need to start another thread on this subject, when the moderator's original post is purposely and permanently "stuck" at the top of the Interchange topic list and open for comment? Do people not read the "sticky" subjects?

(For those who do not know, "sticky" in this case does not mean delicate, but rather a subject that is puposely 'glued' to the top of the Interchange topic list)

My suggestion in the original thread was to make the photo link postings a permanent sticky topic -- so it always stays at the top of the list. Everyone will know when there are new links to view by the change in color of the icon to the left of the subject line. Just like all the other topics on the Interchange.

Stephen

I think this points to a possible route to expand rypn. Maybe a third board just for photos would be a good idea. The classifieds for commercial postings, interchange for news and technical information, and a photo board for photos. This is type of format is done on other boards and makes life simple. Now with that being said I know that it is easy for sit back and make suggestions when someone else does the work.

So there is no coincidence that the ebay photos are linking to active auctions on the request of a friend? If that's the case, the classifieds board would be a great place to show these items for sale.

speaking for myself, i was simply posting interesting pictures relating to the railroads for a friend. I have no contection with any of the sellers on ebay. It was not my intent to "flood" the fourm. I have recieved several positive comments on some of the pics I posted.
This fourm is supposed to be a fun, interesting place. I will wait to see what the form wants. Untill then, I will no longer post any pictures.

I liked the pictures. But then, I liked the pictures Bob Yarger posted. This discussion is as predictable as an exchange between 614 and IV.

This conversation leads me to a larger hole in the railroad preservation community I have noticed. We have RYPN, trainorders, etc for discussion, and NERAIL/RAILPICTURES for pictures. But nowhere do we have history. What I think is needed is either a new site or a new component, a sort of wikipedia where users submit pictures, post as much as they can, and then others fill in adding what they know-creating a sort of open source historical database for the pictures-just think-instead of a line or two regarding something on ebay, whole paragraphs of information for every image-permanently accessible.