Split Forums

[Guest ___]

As, I've been sick for a week and a half, and am without Jeep, or ojb, I've had a lot of time to waste thinking which is technically prohibited by Frederick County Ordinance, and by vote by the National Council of Jewish Women

 

• Split PLATFORM 2 in half (New PLATFORM 3, so that Prototypes, Photography and Off-Topic are separate from the actual model train stuff, and maybe a few non-model train stuff just for good measure, simply as it seems that all of us do model trains, but we extend our hobby in to other aspects with J-trains related to our modeling as well. This could also draw J-fans into the modeling aspect that may not already have considered it. I was into J-trains for three years before I even thought about the modeling aspect.
  
• This may be a bit more difficult, but to really rein supreme as a definitive source for all things J-train, maybe introduce a J-Train wiki, or some sort of central database for J-train information. There are a bunch of user groups, on yahoo, and some small personal sites. The closet thing I can recall ever seeing was Byun-Byun's site which is now closed. But for any newbie, nOOb or garden variety snouzer, gathering information, or learning J-trains is pretty tough as there is virtually little to no English point to draw from. When I got in to J-trains four years ago, I couldn't find squat, and even today it's pretty tough.

[scott]

The platform split makes sense--maybe even add a "Travel" or Japanese-culture section that covers travel, rather than the technicalities of Prototypes?

 

The other part sounds great, but I'm not sure what to suggest.

[bikkuri bahn]

Like the idea of creating a platform 3, and adding a travel section for practical questions/information.  As for the Japanese trains project, at least a listing of resources/websites would be a good start.

[Bernard]

These are really good suggestions. The administrators will have to discuss this and see what we can do. I personally would like to hear from as many members as possible what their thoughts are about the split fourms.                                         

[disturbman]

I think also that's a good idea to split the forums. But I'm not sure how to do it. If it needs to be wide or a bit more precise. Maybe we could make something like that:

 

Paltform 1 -> Admin forum

Platform 2 -> Modell Railroading (N Gauge ; Other Gauges ; Train Doktor ; Classifieds)

Platform 3 -> Projects (Scenery ; Club News ; Personal Projects)

Pltaform 4 -> More Real Life relating topics (News, suppliers ; Prototypes ; Off Topic)

 

And I'm not sure where to put Photography [Platform 3 or 4?) and DCC/Electrical (Platform 2 or 3?)

[scott]

Maybe, going by the subtitle under "JNS Forum" in the header:

 

Platform 1 -> Admin & Welcome

Platform 2 -> Model Railroading (N Gauge ; Other Gauges ; Scenery; Personal Projects; Train Doktor [or Doctor Yellow?]; Classifieds;  Club News ; )

Pltaform 3 -> Japan Rail (News; Prototypes; Traveling; Off Topic)

 

Also--another thing that would be an incredible resource would be a set of maps, sort of like I mentioned in the JR Electrification threads. A map or maps that showed the following stuff would be really useful:

 

* which JR company (or private company) controls the line

* AC/DC/non-electrified

* Shinkansen lines vs. others

* Line name

* City/station names

 

All pretty simple stuff as GIS projects go, but somebody would have to have or put together the data.

[CaptOblivious]

I like the idea of having a repository of maps, but that's a lot of hard work! I know, having drawn a map of the Nagoya Line recently. Is there software for this, and someone here who knows how to use it?

 

I think the Wiki thing is generally a good idea, but do we have enough folks here to have the momentum to do it, and do it right?

[Guest ___]

I like the idea of having a repository of maps, but that's a lot of hard work! I know, having drawn a map of the Nagoya Line recently. Is there software for this, and someone here who knows how to use it?

 

I think the Wiki thing is generally a good idea, but do we have enough folks here to have the momentum to do it, and do it right?

 

I think for the Wiki we can grab people off the J-Trains and related Yahoo groups, espeically in response to the outcry when Dave Fossit closed down Byun-Byun. they were talking about doing wiki on the group, but Doug sorta got into the while thing about how open access it is and that there was no way to keep the information accurate. Of course, Wiki can be configured only to let registered people edit articles, so I don't see it as an isue,  Wiki's are an ongoing thing with time.

 

I wish I had something for drawing Japanese train maps myself, just cause I want to map out my layout. From a graphic design standpoint there's a lot I could do if I could map Japanese train maps.

[Martijn Meerts]

It took me a long time mapping out Tokyo Station, but I might have gone into too many details there ;)

 

What I did was make screenshots of a good zoom level in google maps (satellite image, tracks should be clearly visible), made enough screenshots due cover the entire station, stitched them together in photoshop, and then traced lines over the tracks. Once I have those lines, I can use various stroke settings to get them to look how I want. Works great for a single station, but doing an entire line like that is madness ;)

[Darren Jeffries]

These are all good suggestions, and like Bernard has already mentioned, I'd like to see more ideas for us (admins) to discuss.

 

Wiki is something i have thought about loading onto the server for some time now, but time constraints have usually put this to the bottom of the todo pile. Maybe I should have a play....

 

food for thought, certainly.

[Martijn Meerts]

In all honesty, I really don't like most of the wiki systems.. Some of them are way too complicated if it comes to adding a simple article ;)

[Guest ___]

In all honesty, I really don't like most of the wiki systems.. Some of them are way too complicated if it comes to adding a simple article ;)

 

Bernard hasn't chimed in yet, so we'll just give it to him, Mr. Meerts  ;)

[Bernard]

In all honesty, I really don't like most of the wiki systems.. Some of them are way too complicated if it comes to adding a simple article ;)

 

Bernard hasn't chimed in yet, so we'll just give it to him, Mr. Meerts  ;)

 

I can barely send multiple PMs to people and you want me to do wiki? I don't even want to think about the damage I could possibly do. ;D

[scott]

Seems like we could split the forums as the first step without having to wait for the more complex parts.

[Guest ___]

In all honesty, I really don't like most of the wiki systems.. Some of them are way too complicated if it comes to adding a simple article ;)

 

Bernard hasn't chimed in yet, so we'll just give it to him, Mr. Meerts  ;)

 

I can barely send multiple PMs to people and you want me to do wiki? I don't even want to think about the damage I could possibly do. ;D

 

ROFLOL  :D :D :D

[Bernard]

ROFLOL  :D :D :D

 

This is how bad I am, I just learned what LOL means and now I have to figure out ROF!  ;D

[to2leo]

ROF Rolling on Floor

LOL Laugh out loud

TTYL Talk to you later

TGIF Thank God is Friday!!!

[CaptOblivious]

More on topic (WTF?), the admin team has been taking your suggestions, and discussing them privately. Just FYI!

[Guest ___]

LOL sorta figured that. PMD

(Purple Monkey Dishwasher)

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Certainly I would welcome more prototype to model links, for example I like the idea of an online resourse which indicates the type of models available with the routes/areas they are associated with. A Japanese railway wiki sounds a great idea, especially as Wikipedia seems to have its limitations - there is for example no article for the EF81.

[Darren Jeffries]

I have news.... You will probably already have seen some changes. Please can i redirect you to this topic:

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,1107.0.html

 

We are still working on a viable solution for a wiki, and more on this will follow shortly.