I agree that there have been some absolutely creative and utter hysterical AFD posts over the years...and yes, they seemed to decline in quality and humor as time wore on. I just read Superheater's classic from 2010 about Steamtown and the NKP 514 and absolutely lost it in laughter. But I thought we were collectively a smart enough bunch to not take these things too seriously, no? And if a truly serious researcher mistakenly took an AFD post as actually factual, what does that say about their researching skills and abilities? Look, this place can get pretty stuffy at times.

I doubt it's worth challenging the final and latest decree on the matter from our dear moderators, so let's all stay tuned to the Railfan page in a couple weeks for what hopefully will be an extra high quality and side-splitting day of fun RYPN AFD posts.

Rob Gardner

Nope.

The humorless won. Get over it.

In the interest of good humor, this is the type of post that is unwelcome. We cannot spend time making fun of the state of California, Moonbeam its governor, its most famous Congressman (the pencil neck geek that the late great Classy Freddie Blassie lamented), the Congresswoman who seems to have expressive aphasia, its histrionic Senators, or the Mayor that believes she represents the people of Juarez, rather than Oakland.

I have cousins that are stuck out there, and I don't want to hasten the impending collapse of the state due to the go-go stock market delayed but inevitable collapse of CALPERS.

Join in, but don't no cheap political tirades or potty mouth stuff.

There's a question there; if you answer it "spoof" that will be good enough.

Fixed That For You.®

And I say this as someone who studiously did his best to avoid politics in his one-time April 1st posts.

Um, on another website?

Thanks for making it painfully obvious to us that you didn't bother to read the original post.

If y'all don't like the April Fools posts, have you considered just not visiting RYPN for one day out of the year? If anything that's actually happening is announced that day, the serious discussion will continue on well after the first.

No, you didn't fix it. Post anything political or potty-mouthed and it will be removed.

And almost in a nutshell we have many of the things that have become odious about April 1 humor posts. Heavy-handed satire on the 'prospective' conversion without the technical details that would make it humorous (like what would be done with the 'junk' removed parts, perhaps), the protracted semi-racist slam at Ray LaHood, the jibes at conservative thinking, and then the chime-in not-funny-at-all 2015 enhancement...

There is a correct forum on RyPN for these humor posts, and everyone is on fair notice to go there April 1st even if they go seldom at other times: the special 'Railfanning' ghetto. Plenty of welcome, tacit or otherwise, over there. And, of course, the several sites over on FaceBruch, which is kind of an April Fool joke itself. Perhaps quick hands can catch any 'taboo' posts made to the Interchange and mirror them over to RyPN Deleted Posts, which seems to have languished for a while.

I would 'second' the opinion that it's a poor scholar indeed who would be taken in by a fool post and then get angry about it. On the other hand, the Interchange is home, by and large, to a great number of serious (and 'not so serious'( preservationists who don't appreciate the levity at all -- and their point of view does count and can't be overcome merely by 'hit the delete key' precisely because the essence of a good 4-1-One is verisimilitude of seamless quality 'to deceive the very elect'. So I think the compromise enabled by the creation of the 'Railfanning' section ought to be continued as the method of doing humor posts on the day that is different from all other days.

Funny. I see three names as moderators of this forum. Well, two names and a alias for someone whose name we know.

None of them happen to be yours.

And even though I agree with the sentiments and the reasonsand have to impose similar standards on forums I moderate myself, the high-handedness of your attitude, for not being in a position of authority, is off-putting.

You'll live.

'junk' removed parts, perhaps), the protracted semi-racist slam at Ray LaHood, the jibes at conservative thinking, and then the chime-in not-funny-at-all 2015 enhancement...

Oh good grief. If you don't know what racism is (hint: making changing politician's names for satire is not racism) don't use the word. I also posted a spoof claiming the Reading and Northern was buying Chinese QJ's and changed the name of one their executives from Glass to Gloss. I guess that was racist, right?

In the eyes of "social justice warriors" you are, indeed, racist for even daring to question the accusation of racism.

Hey, don't blame me, I'm just informing you about the status quo now.

While I find some April fools gags humorous, others are just down right mean. And then are the ones that seem to have missed the day and decided that a week or two later it is still OK to post them.

Later!
Mr. Ed

The most profound thing you have ever commented on a subject.

Robby Peartree