About this time twenty years ago.

Couldn't agree more. I joined then as well. Think I had dial-up internet. Reefer Madness was the big thread of the day. Wow! Some real memories... Purchasing Williams Golden Memories from Marty, some guy pretending to be Neil Young, or not, Frank53... Time marches on. 15 years ago my Dad passed away. 15 days ago my Mom passed away. I still check the forum daily, and subscribe to the print version of the magazine. I started out as one of the youngest members of the forum, now I'm an old fogey. Thanks OGR for the fun!

It was twenty years ago today, O Gauge Railroading Started a Forum,
They've always been in style,
They’re always guaranteed to raise a smile,
So may I introduce to you,
The act you've known for all these years?
O Gauge Railroading Magazine’s Forum!

I’ve only been here a little less than 9 years, but it has been the greatest!!

Thanks for the memories.  Sorry we missed The Red Rose this year.

Coming up on 13 years for me next March.

I've learned that there hasn't been a question that I've had that someone online couldn't answer. Sort of my trainapedia!

I've also watched a lot of folks come and a lot of folks go, some in a huff!

The knowledge on this site, not just for Lionel, K-line, MTH, etc, but the lesser known trains like KMT, Weaver, etc is outstanding!

Coming up on 20 minutes for me.  ;-)

This is great site.  Tons of history and knowledge.

It’s been 17 years for me. It’s how I found out about the greatest train club in the world.  Right here

Here, here!

I am very grateful to the OGR leadership and staff in providing this great place to talk, share and learn.....where have the 20+ years gone?

Peter

Always been a great place to discuss trains. Where has all the time gone? Miketg

When I first found the forum (didn't join right away), the place was really active with what I would call the "TMCC versus DCS wars." Of course I wasn't familiar with either so had to wade in and figure it out. Also, DCS was being beta tested at the time with a release coming soon. Trying to recall the year(s) that would have been. 2003? '04?

I joined after realizing that all my google searches about O gauge trains took me here.

It's been just 4 years for me but the wealth of knowledge, and camaraderie among everyone is second to none. Being able to connect with so many with the same passion for model/ toy trains is amazing.

Here's to another 20 years!!!! DILLY! DILLY!

Bob

Just shy of 20 years for me. I lurked for a while. I knew a little about trains. Nothing about computers. There was a post unanswered that I actually new answer to. I joined to reply and it’s been a great ride all these years. I’ve learned so much. Especially on the electronics side. Just a fantastic group here that’s willing to share.

Even though my join date shows 2001, I first joined about this time in 2000 too. Back in the day if you wanted to change your screen name Rich had to delete your original profile and you had to rejoin. Not even sure what my original screen name was.

I’ve never looked back. Like Bob said above, Google O Gauge and this is where you end up.

Mark - So, you're aBeatles fan (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band reference) as well as a Train buff eh?  Life doesn't get any better than that! (lol)

Joined Nov 25, 2000.

For me, one of the most appealing aspects of of OGR's forum is its atmosphere and its culture, which is summed up by a sig line of a long gone OGR member (that, sadly, I can't recall the name of): "It's a great big tent with room for everyone!".

By that I mean there's 3R traditional, 3R Hi-rail, Tinplate, Marx, S, HO, G, N, Z, all persuasions of model railroading, plus there's also "specialty" forums. Further, here at OGR there's really no "wrong" way of enjoying your trains. Seems the vast majority of us here get it: There's a huge spectrum of "fun" to be found in the hobby and however a person finds "fun" is the "correct" way for them to enjoy their hobby of model trains and/or hobby of railroading in general.

So, even though my involvement here may ebb and flow... I always check OGR's forums, sometimes several times a day.

After all, OGR illustrates well that model railroading is "a great big tent with room for everyone"!

Andre

Joined 1/8/2001.  Had the privilege of meeting over a dozen forum members in person during my travels.  Great to put a personality to a profile.

Compared to many, I'm a newcomer. It will be four years in December. I've been back into O gauge for twenty-three years but didn't find the Forum until 2016. Despite a long time with trains before then, there was much that I didn't know that I have since learned from the Forum. Although I've built and completed two O gauge layouts since 1997 (still have both and operate them often) I spend much more time reading about the hobby on the Forum than downstairs with the layouts.

MELGAR

I just passed 15 years in October, but I had been lurking before that.  I also realized that I joined the forum right after I took down my first serious effort at a layout.  I guess I must have been trying to get my model train fix another way.

Gary,

I remember it well, I joined 12/18/2000. Yep, I am coming up on 20 years.

The biggest things I remember in the olden days of OGR were the raucous and very lightly moderated and sometimes heated or hilarious discussions...awaiting MTH's Mel's Diner for years, "oh, I can smell that chille now"...silly threads about the elephants at Hohenwald, and the toy train museum there with a statue of Lionel chief Gary Moreau made out of the lousy 022 switches...Bob C. and his quest for black smoke...battles over which is best MTH vs. Lionel, and the law suit...Locolawyer giving us a play by play from the courtroom...Clyde Coil and Legacy dang, Tony Lash and company, DCS and Toytrains1 then Barry B. helping people to get it working on their layouts...Marty helping people with Legacy...Hans Zimmer...Zans Himmer...and more...Scherbear waging war...joining TCA...Wifi...Thursdays at Fridays.

Getting answers quickly to problems has always made the forum invaluable. I remember early on I got TMCC and it wouldn't work, I asked the forum for help, quickly reply "make sure you command base is plugged into a 3 prong outlet" it wasn't I had a 3 to 2 adapter, got rid of the adapter and voila!

So much more to say, but thats enough for now. A big thanks to OGR for proving this forum over the years, and to the other Forumites that come up with the answers, questions, photos, movies, and funny stuff. The OGR Forum has been helpful and fun.

I too am glad I found this forum. Many thanks to all!

@superwarp1 posted:

PS did I miss it or did the OGR staff doing anything to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the forum???

I think they doubled the membership price didn't they?  Great ( popup free!) forum.

A fantastic trip for 19 years! :-)

Right on!

I joined in October, 2001. I think that, oddly,  the 9/11 events pushed me into wanting to join an on-line community of enthusiasts, although I had already joined LCCA and TCA. I still check in here at least once a day.

Anyone remember Less Line?  Remember Hot Water questioning his name which really is/was his name.   Less had K-Line's ear and was one of the reasons the B&A berkshire were produced.   Less is no longer with us but I'll remember those early years with Weaver, Kline, AtlasO, MTH, Lionel, 3rdrail.

PS another sad note, early part of the forum is gone when they changed over to crowd stack, can only go back to 2011 and those post are locked.

Now there was a name! :-)

@superwarp1 posted:

Anyone remember Less Line?  Remember Hot Water questioning his name which really is/was his name.   Less had K-Line's ear and was one of the reasons the B&A berkshire were produced.   Less is no longer with us but I'll remember those early years with Weaver, Kline, AtlasO, MTH, Lionel, 3rdrail.

PS another sad note, early part of the forum is gone when they changed over to crowd stack, can only go back to 2011 and those post are locked.

Les Line wrote an article for the New York Times on Thanksgiving Nov. 26, 1998.  I was quoted in the article.  I have a copy I got from the airport on my way home from a football game.

I know Less was thee  North American bird expert.  What was the article about?  Many books published for the Audubon society, if I’m not mistaken

@superwarp1 posted:

I know Less was thee  North American bird expert.  What was the article about?  Many books published for the Audubon society, if I’m not mistaken

New electronics in toy trains.

Found the article online.

A little over ten years for and have love every minute of. About 9 years ago I set it as my home page every time I go online. Can’t tell you how I have learned and friends I have met and never in person and then those I have met in person all turned out to be great folks full of ideas and knowledge. Look forward to the next ten years Thank You Rich, Alan,  Alan and all the other Graet folks at O Gauge Magazine for creating this great forum and putting up with all of us. During the roughly 4 years I was out of the hobby due to a move and new home this was my other salvation and relief when I did not have my hobby looking at it packed in tubs.

August 2, 2011 for me and its been a fun ride ever since .

One amazing family here.

Gosh, this post made me look at my profile.  I thought I’d been a member for 3 or 4 years. I looked at my profile. I joined in June, 2005. Wow. 15 1/2 years. I’ve been enjoying this great forum for much longer than I realized!

Sept. 27, 2000 but my join date  but officially it was Dec. 1999 but there was a computer crash at ogr which deleted our registrations. I decided to wait then join at a later date.

Never thought it would last but here it is 20+ years later. Some changes over the years have been good and some not so good. But for the most part its been a great ride.

A big shout out to Myron bigger that kept the magazine going  from the days of O scale railroading and eventually changed the name to OGR despite the disgruntled two railers.  Not sure if Myron started this web site but he was talking about it in his magazine a couple of times. Can't remember that far back though.

Dave

17 yrs - back in 2003.  Been a great ride, which I hope continues for 17+ more.

Jim

It shows me joining on May 6th 2001 - I think I may go back before that ??? - Thank you

I go back to 2006 with this ID, I had another one going back to early 2000’s. I killed the account during the “DCS vs TMCC” wars. It became not fun then.

Looking back though, can you imagine how hard getting this computer driven trains revolution would be without this forum? I’m pretty sure I would’ve stayed conventional trying to figure this all out on my own.

david1 - I think it was Myron 'Biggar' if I'm not mistaken - wasn't it?

Then again, that was a long time ago and our memories aren't as good as they once were as we age. (lol)

It's been about 13 years since I joined this OGR Forum...to add to Craignors' list....how about the to and fro arguments and opinions about traction tires 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ being added to our toy trains?  Pull up a chair and get the popcorn out, for that topic....lol

@PH1975 posted:

Mark - So, you're a Beatles fan (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band reference) as well as a Train buff eh?  Life doesn't get any better than that! (lol)

  As soon as I read Gary's topic title, "It was twenty years ago today" popped into my head!    I thought a little rhyme was apropo.  I recall back in the '60s my mum said "that music will never last".  Now 50+ years later her youngest granddaughter (born in '93) is one of their biggest fans. 

AMEN on the Beatles longevity....  Hello Mark...Happy Holidays to you.