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Author Topic: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum  (Read 2604 times)

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Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« on: February 28, 2024, 10:57:01 am »
Quote from: txlabman on February 28, 2024, 08:27:23 am
Happy Birthday Office of Steam Forum!

Almost 900 members and still growing.

Thank you to Gil for his leadership getting this going and to all active members that provide content.
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Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2024, 11:01:56 am »
This is to big an occasion to let pass by without a formal thread of its own. Please contribute & tell us how you came to this forum & become a member...if you've been hanging out on the sidelines without posting,this is you moment...let's here from you. All you old hands...let's hear from you too.😃
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Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2024, 11:09:48 am »
I started out collecting the Chinese hit and miss engines that's what brought me to this website!
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2024, 11:10:23 am »
For myself, I had been pretty active in an British based forum & gotten a little adrift by some of the goings on and the new platform they went with "tapatalk" I found it horrible to use and so much previous information was lost in the transfer that it was no longer a joy for me...then Gil came up with the "office of steam" forum, he wasn't ready to start a forum at that time but in true Gil fashion pulled a good (like minded) group of people together with some Tech help from Steve Tyner and viola, we have what you now are all able to enjoy easily,  without ads and very little disturbance to normal operations.
I say with a most sincere heart...thanks Gil & all the leadership/mentors & members that make this forum what it is.
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Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2024, 11:48:33 am »
Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 28, 2024, 11:10:23 am
For myself, I had been pretty active in an British based forum & gotten a little adrift by some of the goings on and the new platform they went with "tapatalk" I found it horrible to use and so much previous information was lost in the transfer that it was no longer a joy for me...then Gil came up with the "office of steam" forum, he wasn't ready to start a forum at that time but in true Gil fashion pulled a good (like minded) group of people together with some Tech help from Steve Tyner and viola, we have what you now are all able to enjoy easily,  without adds and very little disturbance to normal operations.
I say with a most sincere heart...thanks Gil & all the leadership/mentors & members that make this forum what it is.

Well said Bruce, and it all pretty well fits my history here and elsewhere as well.

Gil most certainly "bit the bullet" to put all this together and then pulled all of us together to make this happen .... and it is most definitely happening!!!

Been a railhead as long as I can remember with a fixation on steam locomotives, but also steam engines and mechanical contraptions in all other forms as well.

Then eBay happened and I started seeing steam engines I could afford and own there, which led me to doing some internet searches, which took me to Indiana Rog's "Temple of Steam" website that ultimately led me to my eventual DOOM!!

Rog was most helpful as a mentor and definitely led me astray good and proper, which is why you now find me here a goodly part of my time!!!
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2024, 02:24:34 pm »
I've been a member over on the other forum for some time now. During the summer I get away from steam
due to all the other activities, golf, fishing, that stuff. Then one time in the fall when I was gearing
back up I found out about Tapatalk. That's horrible, still is. I complained a lot about it, to deaf ears.
Then Nick told me about this starting up. It's like night and day when it comes to user friendly.
I still belong to the other one but I don't sign in anymore. It's too frustrating.
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Tommy

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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2024, 04:04:52 pm »
Congratulations to Gil and all the moderators and administrators who keep this forum going. My first steam engine was a small Wilesco (I believe) that I got as a Christmas present when I was about 10. I ran it and loved it to death. Some 60 plus years later I somehow got back into these wonderful models. I mainly like vintage European engines and I do frequent both forums, although the TT forum can be difficult to use at times. But hey, it's all good and there is a great group of guys and gals participating in the hobby. Keep it up! 
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The one who dies with the most toys, wins!

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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2024, 04:20:41 pm »
I am active on both, and seems like two dozen groups on facebook :D  Can’t believe it’s been 5 years already!!

Thank You All for participating, you are the ones keeping the forum going. I hope many of you can join in for the Global Power Up, even if you just fire one engine up to enjoy the weekend.
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Nick

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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2024, 04:39:45 pm »
My turn..!

From my heart and soul I sincerely thank each and every one of you.

It went pre-live live on February 28, 2019 when I became our first member. Then on March 1st we were open for all to join. I worked nearly 20 hours a day on establishment and set-up and tuning it over the first 4 days. We had a large helping hand from Cedge (Steve Tyner). I was followed the next day on March 1st by nearly all of our great admin team including Jim, oilfield_steam (RIP Scott), St Paul Steam (Bruce), txlabman (Charlie), IndianaRog, Nick, and a couple days later classixs (Jan) Y'all make a great admin team and I consider all of you dear friends.

By March 9th we had 100 members join us in the first 9 days!

If you read our rules (Forum Decorum), you will notice they are not at all onerous or restrictive. I so much appreciate the quality of our membership who are the most respectful of each other as I have ever witnessed anywhere online.

This little adventure now has 846 members!

I have met some of the nicest people in existence through this hobby. For this alone I am forever grateful.


Here I will add a copy of part of a post I made earlier today from another thread:
-------
@Oliv (and others) should be encouraged to participate here. He is welcome, has a lot of knowledge, and a nice collection.

I am aware there are those who have been encouraged elsewhere to feel somehow disloyal if they post here.
The landscape has experienced quantum changes since our forum was started on this day 5 years ago.

Case in point..... Has anyone had a recent look at the amount of Facebook groups about engines??
If one were to judge by FB, it would appear to be a highly splintered hobby. 

5 years ago there were no FB groups. In October 2020 FB Groups was launched and 2 years later in October 2022 there were over 10 million FB groups. 

10 years ago there was 1 well followed machinists' forum, the Mamod forum for steam toys and Harry Matthews' Smokstak mostly discussing full sized engines along with a handful of e-mail bulletin boards. I am not commenting on anything good or bad about this other than that it is simply the lay of the land now and it is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

So yes.... Please encourage any and all to participate. It is good for our hobby.

Gil
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2024, 10:34:11 pm »
Thanks and congratulations on five wonderful years Gil and crew, proud to be a part of it.
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Frank C.
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #10 on: February 29, 2024, 07:10:01 am »
Quote from: Weedensteam on February 28, 2024, 10:34:11 pm
Thanks and congratulations on five wonderful years Gil and crew, proud to be a part of it.
.
Thank you , Frank!!

We are proud to have you as a member.
Gil
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #11 on: February 29, 2024, 07:39:08 am »
Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 28, 2024, 10:57:01 am
Quote from: txlabman on February 28, 2024, 08:27:23 am
Happy Birthday Office of Steam Forum!

Almost 900 members and still growing.

Thank you to Gil for his leadership getting this going and to all active members that provide content.
Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 28, 2024, 11:01:56 am
This is to big an occasion to let pass by without a formal thread of its own. Please contribute & tell us how you came to this forum & become a member...if you've been hanging out on the sidelines without posting, this is your moment...let's here from you. All you old hands...let's hear from you too.😃
.
Thank you, Bruce and Charlie...!!!

This would not have happened without you.

Gil
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #12 on: February 29, 2024, 07:40:40 am »
Quote from: Fullraceflathead on February 28, 2024, 11:09:48 am
I started out collecting the Chinese hit and miss engines that's what brought me to this website!
.
I am sure glad you found us!

Gil
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2024, 07:43:10 am »
Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 28, 2024, 11:10:23 am
For myself, I had been pretty active in an British based forum & gotten a little adrift by some of the goings on and the new platform they went with "tapatalk" I found it horrible to use and so much previous information was lost in the transfer that it was no longer a joy for me...then Gil came up with the "office of steam" forum, he wasn't ready to start a forum at that time but in true Gil fashion pulled a good (like minded) group of people together with some Tech help from Steve Tyner and viola, we have what you now are all able to enjoy easily,  without ads and very little disturbance to normal operations.
I say with a most sincere heart...thanks Gil & all the leadership/mentors & members that make this forum what it is.
Thank you for the kind words, Bruce!

Gil
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Re: Happy "5 yr." Anniversary to office of steam forum
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2024, 07:48:16 am »
Quote from: Stoker on February 28, 2024, 11:48:33 am
Quote from: St Paul Steam on February 28, 2024, 11:10:23 am
For myself, I had been pretty active in an British based forum & gotten a little adrift by some of the goings on and the new platform they went with "tapatalk" I found it horrible to use and so much previous information was lost in the transfer that it was no longer a joy for me...then Gil came up with the "office of steam" forum, he wasn't ready to start a forum at that time but in true Gil fashion pulled a good (like minded) group of people together with some Tech help from Steve Tyner and viola, we have what you now are all able to enjoy easily,  without adds and very little disturbance to normal operations.
I say with a most sincere heart...thanks Gil & all the leadership/mentors & members that make this forum what it is.

Well said Bruce, and it all pretty well fits my history here and elsewhere as well.

Gil most certainly "bit the bullet" to put all this together and then pulled all of us together to make this happen .... and it is most definitely happening!!!

Been a railhead as long as I can remember with a fixation on steam locomotives, but also steam engines and mechanical contraptions in all other forms as well.

Then eBay happened and I started seeing steam engines I could afford and own there, which led me to doing some internet searches, which took me to Indiana Rog's "Temple of Steam" website that ultimately led me to my eventual DOOM!!

Rog was most helpful as a mentor and definitely led me astray good and proper, which is why you now find me here a goodly part of my time!!!
.
Thanks, Daniel.! Since you joined (03/11/2019) I have enjoyed every day of your presence here!

And yes... IndianaRog was instrumental in bringing a multitude of us astray in such a way as to allow for unlimited sources of joy.

Gil
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