We Are 10 Years Old!!!!

[ngauger]

2 - 15 - 2000 --- Dave H creates the "Admin" name on the Gauge .com

12 - 17 - 2000 --- Shamus joins the Gauge

12 - 20 - 2000 --- ngauger joins the Gauge

12 - 17 - 2008 --- The latest incarnation of The Big Blue Train Forum is opened!

Time flies when you're having fun!!!!

It has been 18 years since I hopped on this local. I can't believe I missed my stop! 

Now, Big Blue is 10 years old 

Overall, this has been a great ride!  I have met so many people online and have learned so much!
From the comments ezdays & I receive, we know that everyone else enjoys being here.

There are a few things coming up in the near future.  One is that we plan to have a fundraiser auction for a Big Blue vintage logo mug. (see picture)   This is so we can keep Big Blue ad free!  So please donate (Paypal button at bottom of page) and we will make the auction announcement soon.

Thanks for being part of Big Blue! 
Don (ezdays) and  Mikey (ngauger)

[ezdays]

Yup, time flies for whatever the reason.

I was a latecomer, I signed onto the-gauge.com on Feb 2, 2003. Apparently, I was active and interested enough that I soon became a moderator, then in March of 2006, Mikey asked me to become a co-admin.  We were still The Gauge, until one morning when we all woke up to find that we were now part of new forum that included many other forums that were owned by the same person. The intent was to make it salable, and so, shortly after, that new forum was bought by a company that was in the business of running forums for profit. We all struggled through that transition to “Z” (zealot), but none of our dedicated Gaugers and staff could tolerate the loss of control, (anyone remember “shoehead? ), the loss of our identity and the new ads that were popping up, so Mikey and I got together and formed “the-gauge.net”. All of our staff and most of our old members followed us. We kept that identity for a while, but decided that we just needed to go back to our roots and break away from The Gauge. We were known as Big Blue in the past, so we formed the Big Blue Train Forums, YIKES!!!!, that was ten years ago...... holy cow, time does fly when you’re having fun.....

Anyway folks, here we are, Big Blue is solely owned by Mikey and myself, and we have been true to our word. No ads of any kind, no sponsors either or mixing in with other hobbies. We are supported by our members generous donations, sales of cups, shirts and other branded products, and occasionally, auctions of railroad related items, some that were built or decorated by our members and staff others that were donated in hopes of raising funds, all this to keep Big Blue on line.

As Mikey said, look for some fundraisers coming up, we haven’t had any in a few years, but this last domain and server renewal and transition just about depleted our reserves so we’re going to need to build them back up for when we have to renew again. You can always donate using the “donate” button at the bottom of the screen, and you can participate in our upcoming auctions as well. Mikey and I appreciate your past generosity and your participation here. We’ve learned a lot from our members sharing what they do, and we enjoy the respite we get when coming here. We hope you all do too. We plan to continue this way for the next ten years and beyond, and hope you’re with us then as well....

Don (ezdays) and Mikey (ngauger)
And the entire staff of Big Blue

[Trains Winnipeg]

12-14-2008 for me on this version, and i think it was mid 2002 on the original.... Time flies...

Keep up the good work! Now back to lurking...