HEAR! HEAR!

Trains are supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby. I just skip over the negative Nancy's (or is Karen the current term?), posts and go on with my day.

Second vote for Mr. Positivity @Mark Boyce

Bob

Well, So you may have something there! LoL   For example, we have this thread that has been active for almost five months now:

Continuing Saga of Lionel's poor new truck design

https://ogrforum.com/...-truck-design?page=1

In truth though, our hobby is changing.  While some changes are for the better, some people are very unhappy with the direction the hobby is going, especially with respect to O gauge manufactures.  It's like cheering for your favorite sports team when they have been on top for a long time and now have fallen down to second tier, well, let's just say people need time to catch up and adjust their expectations in the new world we are living in.

@RSJB18 posted:

I just skip over the negative Nancy's (or is Karen the current term?), posts and go on with my day.

Gender neutral Bob, haven't you been watching the news!   It's Negative Person's comments now.

Well, certain posts seem to have comments that some people may take as negatives whereas the person replying is just stating a simple fact. This is sometimes when real train questions come into play whether comparing models to the real thing or just questions about the real deal.

Sometimes it is the reactions to the cold hard facts as they are presented that starts this negativity. I've seen it happen a few times and try not to go that way anymore(when I first joined up there was a bunch of comments that turned into a slight argument I guess you could say).

Despite all that, I enjoy hearing what everyone has to say and welcome the sage advice, even if it may seem a little salty or sarcastic at times.

Also, @Mark Boyce, I third Mark for his positivity and upbeat vibe. Mark always is interested in what he sees posted, and has the best comments about them to boot IMO. I always get notifications that Mark posted or commented on something, and I'll have a look and chime in if it peaks my interest as well.

Criticism is good for the hobby.  It's what drives the industry to strive for a better product.  Not only on these forums should we be able to tell manufacturers what they got wrong but also,I would like to see it also in the print magazine under product reviews.

I worked nearly 40 years for a company that was the biggest discount retailer in the 60's,  70's and 80's. When new competition came around and sales faltered,  the CEO and upper echelon didn't want to hear any bad news from the  store manager.  As time went by, things gother progressively worse and today that company is out of business.

2 cases in point.

I just bought an MTH PREMIER 65 foot mill gondola with a resin scrap load. The stenciled build date is 1952 so really the car should have 70 ton  Bettendorf trucks, instead they put 100 ton roller bearing trucks on it. If there was another stencil with a recent rebuild date, Then the RB  trucks would make sense.

I bought some years ago 3 Lionel 3 Bay cylindrical hoppers. They came with Bettendorf trucks when surely they should have had roller bearing trucks.

Paint and decal issues,  zinc pest, electronic problems, "artistic license " with the model, etc these are the things that peeve us. If a manufacturer states that the model is "scale sized", then they need to follow the car or locomotive exactly.

Just my 2 cents.

Bill T

You made some valid points, but...🙂

For the most part,"O Gauge" has historically been more or less in the realm of "toys", as opposed to "scale". This mixing of the two is where it gets messy, true? Your RB-equipped car is technically "incorrect", but so is the 3 rail track we use! 😁

What I don't get are the posts about wrong colors on rolling stock that never existed in real life, like the Polar Express stuff...

Just thinking out loud here...

Mark in Oregon

@third rail posted:

Paint and decal issues,  zinc pest, electronic problems, "artistic license " with the model, etc these are the things that peeve us. If a manufacturer states that the model is "scale sized", then they need to follow the car or locomotive exactly.

Just my 2 cents.

Artistic license with the model and scale-size without exact fidelity to the prototype* do not peeve me.  In so far as those products support the company and make scale-sized purchases attainable for me, I am happy with them.

"Paint and decal issues" is pretty vague.  Some "issues" are indeed problems (if the lettering is falling off, or whatever), but others are not.  A gray or silver smoke box is far too easily fixed to be a problem.  Zinc pest is certainly a peeve, but it has been so for over 100 years, so there is nothing new about it.  Electronic problems aren't the problem:  that the electronics exist at all are.  Move the lever on the transformer, the train goes.  Move it again, the train stops.  Hit a button, the whistle blows; hit another, the bell rings.  I'm as happy as can be.

*I admit to one exception:  I won't buy the Lionel Frisco 1501 4-8-2 because it departs from the prototype.  That specific engine is my favorite in the whole world (it sits just a couple of miles from me as I type this post).  THAT engine I want done with fidelity.  As for the others?  Yawn.

Just my 2 cents. My point is, the desires and tolerances of the market are far too broad for definitive statements.  What one person sees as a problem, another person sees as an opportunity (here's looking at you, Mark Boyce!), and another person doesn't even see at all.

Mark is definitely at the top of the list of great posters that I look forward to reading. I'd also add Arnold Cribari and Mike G to the list.  I come here to enhance my enjoyment of the hobby with fellow O gauge aficionados. Mark, Arnold and Mike never disappoint, with positive, upbeat and helpful posts, relatable to both the novices coming here and the old hands as well.

@third rail posted:

Criticism is good for the hobby.  It's what drives the industry to strive for a better product.  Not only on these forums should we be able to tell manufacturers what they got wrong but also,I would like to see it also in the print magazine under product reviews.

Historically when magazines printed criticisms even when legitimate the manufacturer pulled all their advertising dollars from said magazine. I doubt we will see any criticisms in print form.

GHEEZZZ...now we have a thread about how negative other threads are!  OK, so I will make a comment and then close this thread.   Do we have to discuss negativity and bring even more attention to those negative threads?  We could reduce the negatively if we didn't respond to it!  Just don't post on threads that dwell on all the bad and none of the good.  If you feed it, it will grow.  If you starve it, it will die (or not grow).  Negativity has gotten out of control not only online but in everyday life because folks think they have the right to trash anything and anybody ... it is THEIR RIGHT, freedom of speech, etc.  Just because you WANT to say something doesn't mean you should.  If a manufacturer consistently doesn't meet your expectations, then why keep buying their product?  Yet, many hobbyists keep buying and then complaining.  Use your wallet and exercise self control over what you buy!  Spend time working on the details of your layout!   Enjoy other aspects of the hobby more!  If any of you are reading Publisher's Corner in the magazine, you will note that I talk about enjoying your hobby through the creation of a layout no matter how big or small.  The detailing of the layout and constant changing of the scenery will keep your mind in a more positive state.  Heck, I don't even remember the last time I ordered a locomotive or piece of rolling stock ... I am too busy with having fun developing the layout!