Hi John! Happy Holidays to you too!
I came on board in 2004. A lot has changed over the years, but this forum is a constant source of good information and fun.
Mark
Well, I joined in 2005 and have enjoyed and am grateful for the Forum. I've been going to York since 1992. The Forum has allowed me to build on friendships with train people from throughout the country who I met at York. I see people posting and I know them even though they live hundreds of miles from me. I know what their plans are for the next York (whenever that may be) from posts on the Forum. And I'm able to meet them in person.
The Forum has been a wonderful place to get answers to all sorts of train questions. And thanks to OGR for the activities they created over the years which were easy to find out about because of the Forum. The trips to wherever (Tony Lash's, Bob Weaver, etc.) the day before York, the DCS dinner, Thursday or Friday dinners wherever, etc. So thank you OGR.
Gerry
Wow 14+ years here. OGR has been a great community. While I don’t post as much as I once did, I still lurk almost every day. OGR was my first introduction to the train community. I haven’t looked back since!
While the layout is gone and trains are packed away, this has been a great way to stay involved. The forum has come a long way since the MTH vs Lionel vs K-Line thread days. Some of those threads were pretty wild - a lot of passion to say the least 
Some of my favorite memories include Robert C’s annual trains for kids threads, the controversy over the term “lash up”, the mysterious “NY” responding to posts, and helping out with the Legacy K-Line site. As MojoMark can attest, Lionel required a lot of arm twisting to get that site posted. Jerry Calabrese eventually got worn down after a few calls from this then teenager K-Line fanatic!
Its been sad to see a lot of members come and go. But it’s awesome to see legends like Lee Willis re-emerge. I think we lost a lot of interesting folks when the address verification / confirming your info became a part of being an OGR member. I understand we lost a few pretty fascinating members who preferred to stay anonymous. You never know who you’ll meet in the hobby!
This is probably my longest post in 10 years, so I’ll leave it at that! Looking forward to a future York OGR grandstand meeting. I owe many members of this forum (and thread) a frosty adult beverage. Thanks for all the encouragement and help over the years.
Boy, after reading some of the above posts, I feel like one of the younger guys on here!
Its only been 19 years for me. 
I just passed 10 years on 11/6. I feel like a newbie compared to everyone else!
Yardmaster - Isn't it funny how we all tend to always think of ourselves as 'young' (lol). Then again, 'Hope springs eternal'!
About this time in 2014, while eating bfast at a local greasy spoon and watching Christmas Story on their flat screen, I realized that I had not owned a Lionel electric train as a kid; choked down the rest of my food and dashed home to hit the internet.
Found a dealer in New Hampshire offering the Polar Express Anniversary edition; and then it started; next a Lionel Lionchief+ B&O, then a Legacy Pere Marquette, then a VL Big Boy, and then .......... you get the story.
Chuckle at myself when ordering more track for the PE back then; didn't know the significance what O36 meant. Then found this forum - the rest ...........
I joined in March 2001. Left the hobby around 2005 and just came back to the hobby and the forum about a year ago. When I left, I was postwar and new O gauge, and was reincarnated in tinplate.
The early days were fun, especially for me because I was in a tough place and alone. I made a few friends through this forum. Back then there were more silly threads: the Hobo Jungle, Howenwald, etc., like Craignor mentioned.
I joined September 21, 2007. This forum really took my interest in trains from just me enjoying trains by myself to seeing it as a global community. It really shaped the hobby for me, and pushed me to get involved with other groups. Thank you to OGR and all the members who make this place as great as it is.
It's been just shy of 13 years for me, and it's been a great ride. Lots of great folks here and lots of fantastic information.
When I look back on it all I realize it's also been 22 years since I started building my home layout, and somehow even with the input from OGR in those days, I managed to get most things right. There are certainly a few things I would do differently today of course, but hey we live and we learn. (Hopefully)
Rod
