Reflections on the original intent of this forum.

At another thread carwoodrr asked “What was the original intent of this forum? Why has it drifted so far?”

Those are good questions and maybe worth reflecting on. As a newby here I don't know what the original intent was. Don Richter is shown as owner/operator and I assume that he is also the creator of the board, so he would probably be the best one to answer that question. However, the very first sentence in the intro to the forum does give some clues. It says "This is a forum for the discussion of narrow gauge and steam railroading with a primary emphasis on railroads operating in the US."

First, it is a “discussion.” It goes without saying that only people who are passionate about a thing will spend much time discussing it. Passionate discussions tend to become heated, and unfortunately they sometimes generate more heat than light. Is what is.

Second, it is a discussion of “narrow gauge and steam railroading.” That’s not real clear to me. Does it actually mean narrow gauge steam railroading? Or is it intended to include the broader topic of steam railroading in general, or railroading during the “age of steam,” which includes early generation internal combustion powered units – even on narrow gauge railroads? Obviously, most members interpret it to mean narrow gauge, as they are careful to use the NNG notation for those things “not narrow gauge.” That interpretation is certainly consistent with the title of the forum, but does not necessarily follow from the stated purpose.

The third, and I think the most critical phrase is “…with a primary emphasis on railroads operating in the US.” To me, this is clearly stated in the present tense, not the past tense. It does not say "railroads that once operated" or "railroads that operated before [pick your favorite year]." I am well-educated and well read, but not a grammarian, so maybe there is some nuance of meaning here that I am missing. While this interpretation of the intent of the forum certainly does not preclude railroads operating in Wales or Australia, or those operating in the recent or distant past in the US, it does seem to put the focus on the here and now. Thus, discussions of such topics as the Georgetown Loop, the D&S, EBT, RC&BT, and even the C&TS are most appropriate here. Discussions of haggis and Baa-Stud Ale maybe less so – although I personally don’t have a problem with that as long as it’s done tastefully. After all, Shakespeare injected humor into even his most serious tragedies, so why shouldn’t we?

Anyway, it seems to me that we really haven’t drifted far from the intent.

Next topic for reflection: When did history end?

"Time spent with CATS is never wasted." -- Sigmund Freud

"Nothing endures but change." -- Heraclitus

"C'est le meilleur des mondes possibles." -- Candide