12-16-2010, 03:16 PM
I can't remember exactly, but it must have been in 2005 when I came to what I call the "old" Gauge. Can't remember how I found the place, probably just a serendipitous Google search. Anyway, I remember marveling at the great photos of the layouts and rollingstock, I remember thinking "wow!" when I saw the photo tutorials, but most of all I remember that there was just a friendly and inviting feel to the forum as compared to the large commercial forums I had seen.
A bit later, the old Big Blue somehow got turned into a commercial enterprise, then lumped into a huge all-hobby forum, and things just went steadily downhill. All of the craziness made it difficult to enjoy the forum, with advertisements, arbitrary edicts from management, and cosmetic and structural changes that didn't makes sense to the average member. This combined with the fact that I was becoming dissillusioned with my non-climate-controlled non-bug-protected layout in the garage caused me to drop out of the hobby for awhile.
Then one day I received an email from docWayne, stating that the members of "The Gauge" had started a new forum like it was in the old days, and he was giving me a personal invitation to come on back and enjoy the comaraderie. I accepted the invite, and not long after that decided to do my layout right by giving it its own nice comfy home. I have enjoyed my stay immensely.
So thank you to Mikey and Don for maintaining the place, and thanks to the moderators for putting up with us, and thank you to all of the members who participate regularly.
P.S. biL, I am honored that you liked my bridge model enough to show it to others. It gives me confidence to continue on full speed ahead!
A bit later, the old Big Blue somehow got turned into a commercial enterprise, then lumped into a huge all-hobby forum, and things just went steadily downhill. All of the craziness made it difficult to enjoy the forum, with advertisements, arbitrary edicts from management, and cosmetic and structural changes that didn't makes sense to the average member. This combined with the fact that I was becoming dissillusioned with my non-climate-controlled non-bug-protected layout in the garage caused me to drop out of the hobby for awhile.
Then one day I received an email from docWayne, stating that the members of "The Gauge" had started a new forum like it was in the old days, and he was giving me a personal invitation to come on back and enjoy the comaraderie. I accepted the invite, and not long after that decided to do my layout right by giving it its own nice comfy home. I have enjoyed my stay immensely.
So thank you to Mikey and Don for maintaining the place, and thanks to the moderators for putting up with us, and thank you to all of the members who participate regularly.
P.S. biL, I am honored that you liked my bridge model enough to show it to others. It gives me confidence to continue on full speed ahead!