web site simplification

[glen]

Bob,

Seems to me that there are too many posting options on your several coexisting forums. Would it be better to have one forum with rationalized subsections? For example railroadforums.com has "international photo essays" while there is also RailroadPhotoEssays.com. Yes, the latter is "moderated" and subject to approval, but still, couldn't that be part of the single forum groupings?

I think users would find it more convenient to have it all together under one banner.

Glen

[Bob]

Glen,

This forum is probably the one that is most redundant, which is why I hadn't promoted it in the past.

Let's see if I can explain the differences.

Railroadforums.com is the Trains Magazine of my online forums. It covers everything related to railroads, history, current events, preservation, railfanning, etc. Lots of traffic and lots of post. Best suited for somebody looking for an overview of the industry.

RailroadPhotoEssays.com is, as the name implies, all about photography. Members agree that any photo posted there is open for critique. Instead of being about railroads, it's actually about photography, with an emphasis on railroads. The rules there are different, and it is much more open to critiques of photos and subject matter etc. The same 3/4 wedgie of 4449 that would get lots of favorable comments over at RRF would probably get negative comments in the photo essay forum. I guess you could compare it Railroads Illustrated.

SteamPreservation.com - This forum is solely devoted to railway preservation. This place is small and quiet and always will be. But it's designed to provide the folks with an interest in preservation a place to ask questions and post comments without them getting lost in all the traffic over at RRF. Sort of a virtual railroad preservation convention.

Because of the different focuses, the forums attend different crowds. Sure, there is a group of folks that read them all, but each one also has a lot of people that only read that particular forum.