# Has Live Steam Forum use on MLS tanked?...



## clifforddward (Jan 2, 2008)

Is it just me or has the participation level on the Live Steam Forum of MLS tanked over the past month or so...I seem to notice a dramatic drop in postings...I know for my own viewing it has become such a pain dealing with the problem of chronological order of posts that I do not log on to check things out as frequently as in the past....just wondering about others, and any opinions on why the drop in participation?


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Cliff 

Maybe people are busy DOING stuff, instead of just ruminating at the screen and keyboard.


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## clifforddward (Jan 2, 2008)

Good Point Jim...I've got plenty to do to get my Hunslet ready for your place next month...will turn off the computer and go sit at the workbench....


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I've been away for awhile, and MLS seems less active to me, too. 

Build threads seemed like they attracted a lot of activity in live steam, and Charles' Challenger and Bill's Unitah were two of the most active threads, as I recall. I really enjoyed those threads, and looked forward to every update. 

I think the site needs more members, some influx of new people.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I find that all of MLS is less active than it used to be, but the Live Steam forum is the most active of all the forums... I just refreshed my "not read" screen after being busy elsewhere for the last 3 or so hours and of the 7 items that came up, 4 are from the Live Steam forum. One forum of the nearly 30 on the MLS site has 57% of the postings in the last 3 hours. 

I think it is quite cyclic for all the forums, but I have never been able to pin down what causes the cycles or what their period is. One would think that postings might go up and down with the seasons or be noticeably different over certain holidays, but I don't think that is so. 

I think the whole business/hobby of garden trains is cyclic, but the cycle is probably more associated with the economy than the seasons or holidays, but I don't know exactly how the economy affects the use of MLS. I think that the "effect" (MLS usage) lags the "cause" (economic changes) by a long time and that makes it hard to see the relationship.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I know I've put off buying a steamer, for roughly a year now, in part due to persistent economic insecurity, but also the complexity of the large scale hobby. There are so many choices, so many decisions, many of which have the potential to have to be un-done in way I just didn't face in smaller scale.


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

I think the screwed up chronological order has got to have quite a bit to do with it. Until that gets fixed, we can't really say for sure. I know that for me, I'm almost at the point of giving up on these forums because it just isn't worth the constant battle trying to find an older thread. I am amazed it hasn't been fixed yet.


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## StevenIsBallin (Aug 31, 2013)

Since Im new, for awhile I thought I was the only one having issues with the order of posts. Nice to know its not just me.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

" I'm almost at the point of giving up on these forums because it just isn't worth the constant battle trying to find an older thread. I am amazed it hasn't been fixed yet."


Me too ! 
Just got my annual 1st class membership renewal email. Can't really see renewing with the chron problems. Active Topics is no replacement, barely a crutch.


Pure speculation without knowledge or facts, I doubt the chron problem can be fixed without the loss of the entire MLS database. Mind you, it's just opinion.


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I've given up with MLS. Never renewed my membership and said I will when the bugs were fixed. Moved on to other places like Large Scale Central and the 7/8ths lounge even went to some of the UK forums. Real working forums are nice to read and follow. 

Seems allover its slower then years ago but I know for MLS the listing out of order and constant errors I don't even post as it more of a headache. I've offered to sponsor a forum with my business, gave Shad an Ad and a statement that until the ordering is fixed in the forums don't start the sponsorship. Well that was Jan/Feb 2013. O well I obviously see there is no care for the forums anymore by the site owner by the maintenance and addition of new and non train related popups and ads all over the site.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Don't fret, November is coming soon, and we can celebrate the 1 year anniversary of out of order posts. 

Greg


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

It's interesting..I cant stand Large Scale Central.. 
that forum simply does not work for me, *because* it does not have any sort of "active topics" feature.. 
I find it really annoying to have to open 10 different forums just to see new posts..forget that.. 
I simply dont go there, just because of that lack of an active topics feature..its a very inconvenient forum setup for me, so I dont use it.. 

Meanwhile here on MLS I have never once had the slightest problem, ever.. 
posts are never out of order, I see all new posts every time I log on (which is nearly every day, for the past 10 years) 
and things are working just fine here! same as they always have...because I only "read" MLS with "active topics".. 
my MLS bookmark is set to open in "active topics", and it always has been.. 
One click of the bookmark, and I instantly see all new conversations all on one page, and I can then open in new tabs the threads im interested in reading.. 
works splendidly, very easy and convenient.. 

I just find it interesting how some said they switched to LLC and cant use MLS anymore.. 
while for me, the opposite is true.. 

Scot


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You say that the threads in the forum are in order? 

Are you ok? 

Oh, I see, you read "active topics", yeah, I read "unread"... 

Not everyone does it that way. 

But when you want to FIND something in a forum, they are NOT in order, and the search function is garbage. 

Not everyone can keep up with everything, and coming to a single forum is messed up. 

Greg


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## bille1906 (May 2, 2009)

I guess the order thing is something they have been working on for a while. It hurts to not have that function
I used to subscribe to the threads I want to follow and would get an email every time there was a posting. Taking that away really hurt.
I am not a first class member but I would be willing to upgrade if the "subscribe to" feature was available for only these members. I guess it was taken down because people abused it. Perhaps offering it to committed members would work??? 

*One thing I found is that if you reply to a thread, it will remain in "My Topics" so I sometimes just reply with "good job: to get it in to that category. The chronological order seems to work in this section. *
*There may be an easier way to get something into My Topics. I would like to know if there is. *


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 27 Sep 2013 10:31 PM 
You say that the threads in the forum are in order? 



Oh, I see, you read "active topics", 

Not everyone does it that way. 

But when you want to FIND something in a forum, they are NOT in order, and the search function is garbage. 



Greg 

Scot,
This is where the problem is for me, also. I find that I can buy, sell or trade items on LSC because folks over there seem to be more active than MLS in doing transactions. I have been involved in over a dozen deals there in five years AND have had NONE in over ten years of membership here. BUT I do get more answers to questions I ask here on MLS (difficult and "off-the-wall" questions) than any other train forum. That's a good







Thing! Also much easier for me to post photos here







than on LSC.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 23 Sep 2013 07:56 PM 
I find that all of MLS is less active than it used to be, but the Live Steam forum is the most active of all the forums... I just refreshed my "not read" screen after being busy elsewhere for the last 3 or so hours and of the 7 items that came up, 4 are from the Live Steam forum. One forum of the nearly 30 on the MLS site has 57% of the postings[/b] in the last 3 hours. 

I think it is quite cyclic for all the forums, but I have never been able to pin down what causes the cycles or what their period is. One would think that postings might go up and down with the seasons or be noticeably different over certain holidays, but I don't think that is so. 

I think the whole business/hobby of garden trains is cyclic, but the cycle is probably more associated with the economy than the seasons or holidays, but I don't know exactly how the economy affects the use of MLS. I think that the "effect" (MLS usage) lags the "cause" (economic changes) by a long time and that makes it hard to see the relationship. 


Semp, I have observed that is the case in general, it seams like every time I read the "active posts' 6 out of 10 posts are in the Live Steam forum, I have jokingly said the site should be renamed MyLiveSteam.com 

I have noticed the decline across the board and I also attribute it to the economy, back before 2006-7 people were flush with refi cash, made in China trains were still very inexpensive, and there were some very good distributors that were happy to sell those inexpensive trains at a discount, I found LS back then to be alot less expensive than HO. So its no surprise there were lots of Newbies and interest. But since then the econ has tanked, LGBoA has vaporized, San Val, St Aubins and Ridge Road have gone away, Marklin/LGB seams to have forgotten there is a US market, we all know AC has been on thin ice, and the Chinese workers want to eat more than rice with fried crickets. On top of that almost all of those Newbies from 07 in 08 decided having a roof over their bed was more important than having a train in the yard so they all went away, so yeah the level of participation today has dropped precipitately to years past.

The other factor is those still active for the most part are those who were pretty much established _before _the econ went south. That's why alot of the folks I still see online
are already familiar names. The downside is that being established, means they dont need alot of new anything, so the level of scratchbuild/kitbash projects dropped off the cliff, and there hasn't been a whole lot of anything new out there in the electric world has also meant there isnt alot of discussion there going on either, the most discussions I have notices tend to fall into either the live steam and DCC or RC controls systems categories, live steam seams to be a bit immune to the economy as there has been a steady stream of new items even in the worst part of the recession.

Give it some time, things seam to be getting better economicly, but its been slow, so I dont expect things to change much overnight, but if the crowds at the last shows are any indication its definetly getting better, the last BTS was VERY busy and its 60% LS, the NNGC in Pasadena was very successful, and hopefully the SWGRS and the next GTE shows will also be as crowded as the BTS was. We'll see.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

If you know the Author of a thread you can use his/her profile to gain access to their 'my topics' list under one of the clickable icons.... yea I'm old why? (smile) 

Gary, do you use the Classifieds here and there or through posts? Does Bob allow a flea market atmosphere? I visit, but it's been years since I logged on. 

John


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## bille1906 (May 2, 2009)

Thanks John 
I just pulled up Charles' profile and got what I always get at first which is the last activity showing four years ago. I then took your advise and used the "Posts" icon and got everything up to date. I guess I was too impatient in the past. 
The only thing about that is that you may have to pull up several authors to keep abreast but once you find a topic you like, you can get it into "My Topics" by responding and then only have one place to go. Then check the other places once a week or so. I keep the My Topics live on my gmail and just refresh it daily. Any new posts are found at the top.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 28 Sep 2013 09:31 AM 
If you know the Author of a thread you can use his/her profile to gain access to their 'my topics' list under one of the clickable icons.... yea I'm old why? (smile) 

Gary, do you use the Classifieds here and there or through posts? Does Bob allow a flea market atmosphere? I visit, but it's been years since I logged on. 

John Hey John,

I bought a couple of things through the Classified's here (mainly some items put up by Mike Reilly from Jim Francis' estate). But that's it. As far as LSC, the items I bought or sold were through various posts that I responded to....examples.......bridges from Daniel Peck and some Sunset Valley stuff from Rick Marty. That kind of thing. One guy needed some old Airwire decoders and throttles, so I sold these to him. I don't think Bob likes the "flea market" thing. It's more of an informal atmosphere with sale/trade/buy items on LSC.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Jason says he has given up on MLS and has gone elsewhere, yet he still seems to be here! 
Anyway, he mentions Large Scale Central which I have never been to, so just went there to see what their Live Steam postings were like. 
Two have messages from today, then one from September 16, and before that it was August 19th! 
So, this Live Steam forum seems to be the one to read and comment on for sure as there is always some action. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks buddy, 
Happens here too, on the sly, mostly depends on the mod and intention... 
.................multiple mods has led to un even handling and bruises, some unintentional..... 

Bob seems to be online a lot more than Shad.... 

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By bille1906 on 28 Sep 2013 09:48 AM 
Thanks John 
I just pulled up Charles' profile and got what I always get at first which is the last activity showing four years ago. I then took your advise and used the "Posts" icon and got everything up to date. I guess I was too impatient in the past. 
The only thing about that is that you may have to pull up several authors to keep abreast but once you find a topic you like, you can get it into "My Topics" by responding and then only have one place to go. Then check the other places once a week or so. I keep the My Topics live on my gmail and just refresh it daily. Any new posts are found at the top. 
Sure thing, at best it's just another work around
If you need it really fast use Google MyLargeScale> subject

John


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By David Leech on 28 Sep 2013 10:37 AM 
Jason says he has given up on MLS and has gone elsewhere, yet he still seems to be here! 
Anyway, he mentions Large Scale Central which I have never been to, so just went there to see what their Live Steam postings were like. 
Two have messages from today, then one from September 16, and before that it was August 19th! 
So, this Live Steam forum seems to be the one to read and comment on for sure as there is always some action. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada 

David, 
Please reread my post. I have given up trying to be a sponsor. I wont sponsor something that is not taken care of. Yes I still will read and post. I have been a 1st member here starting back in 1999-2000? Stopped when many of my posted were lost when it was decided to clear out the forums with older posts. We lost many good thing then form many people.

Yes LSC is pretty quiet, I tend to read more on the 78ths lounge and the Gscalecentral


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Jason, 
Sorry to have misunderstood. 
It took "I've given up with MLS. Never renewed my membership and said I will when the bugs were fixed. Moved on to other places like Large Scale Central and the 7/8ths lounge even went to some of the UK forums. Real working forums are nice to read and follow." to mean that you HAD GIVEN UP WITH MLS! 
Glad that you haven't. 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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