good for you. this is what makes this forum so great

Hi Rich 

i heard rumors of this a while back!!! I'm glad it's finally in place, that's why this is the best forum to be a part of. Thanks for all you do for us. 

Alex 

This is a step in the right direction!

Dave

OGR Webmaster posted:

O Gauge Railroading is happy to announce a new Forum category... "The Manufacturer's Forums". 

This came about through a suggestion made during a meeting with MTH CEO Mike Wolf at the April 2016 York meet.  Mike's idea was to have a place on the OGR Forum for members to go when they had a question about a specific manufacturer's product.  Mike thought this would give the manufacturers an opportunity to become more actively involved with their customers here on the forum by participating directly in threads that were addressed to them.

Today we introduce this new category with the first new Manufacturer's Forum, the MTH Forums.  Within these forums you will find sub-categories of:

• Control Systems - DCS, PS2/3, etc.
• General Topics
• Service Questions
• Products
• Tips-n-Tricks
• Delivery Schedule

MTH has assigned reps that will monitor the topics within their forums and when appropriate will respond.  Posting and commenting will work as usual and the same terms of service/rules apply.   Please use this new MTH Forum if you have any posts you would like to make about MTH products. 

We will be introducing more Manufacturer's Forums over the next several weeks, so stay tuned!

A++++++ Way to GO!

Sounds like a great idea to me, thanks for the new additions. Looking forward to using them.

I guess my question would be is how do you keep it from just turning into non manufacturer reps from jumping in and answering?  I love the concept but it could get convoluted by well meaning non manufacturers forum members. 

Thanks for this. As I said love the concept. 

Great!

good!  but amazing go to bed wake up and sign in and look and say what is this LOL

This is great news, Rich.  I've been hoping for something like this since joining this Forum.  Thank you.

MTH's willingness to assign reps to monitor this new Forum is a very encouraging step.  Hopefully other manufacturers will follow.  It will only be as good as their willingness to ACTIVELY and REGULARLY participate.

MartyE posted:

I guess my question would be is how do you keep it from just turning into non manufacturer reps from jumping in and answering?  I love the concept but it could get convoluted by well meaning non manufacturers forum members. 

Thanks for this. As I said love the concept. 

Marty...the idea is for anyone to post...  If a question is posted and someone has an answer, then we want them to feel free to post.  MTH will get an alert when anything is posted and can chime in.  If there needs to be clarification and/or additional information to what others have posted, then MTH will be able to do so..

Thanks,

Alan

OUTSTANDING!!!!

Chief Bob (Retired)

I think this is a great idea and will be really valuable if it is used correctly. I really hope it doesn't turn into a "complaint" area.

Gerry

I hope it expands beyond just the one vendor eventually as there's a lot more to this hobby than any one vendor...

 I too like this. With the reps watching closer, it won't just be a bash and trash thread posted, I hope.

It's tuff sometimes to get a point in when the usual guys who help, have been bashed excessively. They become defensive by nature. I know I would be anyways.

 Because it has sounded like I have been complaining lately, I need to thank MTH again for making products that I enjoy. I just hope that stuff goes well here.

I remember having a new DCS remote in my hand and it not working as advertised. There wasn't anyplace to turn. I actually called a MTH rep who at the time, was sarcastic. He told me to go get any light and attach it to the track. He seem to imply that some guys here, knew more than he did. With a little leg work, I researched and found the type of bulb did matter.

 I remember Susan Deat's proposing some help from her son who looked at the system as a communications platform (if I have that right), and suggested filters that wouldn't draw any extra power, don't give off any heat, and are tuned to help the TIU talk to the engines. That's just one example of this forum moving forwards to help.

 With MTH reps having somewhere to see users problems easily and up front, I have to believe, this will be great. Hopefully everyone can work together to solve issues.

 Now Mike W. , why  the Dolphins?  (still???)

p51 posted:

I hope it expands beyond just the one vendor eventually as there's a lot more to this hobby than any one vendor...

Lee...I believe in the announcement we said that more manufacturer's forum are in the works....be patient my friend!!

Alan

p51 posted:

I hope it expands beyond just the one vendor eventually as there's a lot more to this hobby than any one vendor...

 as mentioned on another post, that will depend on the willingness of the vendor/ manufacturer to participate and be active  on these forums....

Didn't catch that earlier...

nice idea, lets hope it works.

I guess I do not understand why there needs to be six different headings for one manufacturer.  If you get one or two more manufacturers the forums list will be several pages long.  Seems like one heading for announcements and maybe a second for questions should suffice! 

Kudo's to OGR and MTH for this undertaking.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

- Greg

Manufactures participation..... plus OGR...feels good to be here.

Great idea!

This will add even more value to the best model railroad forum on the web. 

Richard

Great!

Gary

Kudos to OGR and MTH for partnering on the new forums.   This can only result in getting better authoritive information directly from MTH on the variety of questions that come up.

Thanks,

Ed

MTH Electric Trains and the other manufactures, may want to add a category for “Warranty Registration”.  All it would have to be is a link back to the companies Warranty Department.  I just made a purchase yesterday and used the registration process today.  See screenshot below.

This would put all the manufactures information in one spot on the OGR Forum.

OGR Ad Man posted:

p51 posted:

I hope it expands beyond just the one vendor eventually as there's a lot more to this hobby than any one vendor...

Lee...I believe in the announcement we said that more manufacturer's forum are in the works....be patient my friend!!

Alan

Waiting for Lionel...I wonder, since it's open forum, if it couldn't be started while waiting for Lionel to get their rep in place. 

I like the idea of the manufacturer forums, but I have to agree with DGJONES, having half a dozen forums for one vender, most with no content, seems a little over the top.

Good idea ...  Rich and Mike Wolfe.

Sounds like an interesting venture. We're looking forward to seeing how things develop.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I like the idea of the manufacturer forums, but I have to agree with DGJONES, having half a dozen forums for one vender, most with no content, seems a little over the top.

Give it time.   

If the manufacturers really respond as Rich indicates they will, then the content will come.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I like the idea of the manufacturer forums, but I have to agree with DGJONES, having half a dozen forums for one vender, most with no content, seems a little over the top.

Well, I posed a question about a product delivery this morning and got a response in about an hour.

Much better than wishing and hoping that manufacturers are monitoring the various forums and plowing through out all the excess chatter to find valid questions.

Rusty

This is a great thing for the OGR Universe!  Many thanks to the OGR leadership and MTH, and all other manufacturers who hopefully also contribute. 

Great!!!!

Brent

Fantastic!

I had hoped that manufacturers would be monitoring the Forum more closely in order to address problems and, therefore, short circuit complaints. By creating manufacturer-specific Forums, manufacturers will be able to zero in on their manufacturer-specific issues without having to monitor the entire site.  Brilliant!

As for our friends at Lionel, they'll follow the MTH lead as they have for the past 25+ years. The entry of aggressive MTH into the market turned the entire hobby around proving, once again, that competition is what drives positive progress. Lionel, being the Old Dog in the fight, needs a young one nipping at its heels to get it off dead center and then makes a product that exceeds what the youngster produces, etc, etc, etc.

Thank you, O Gauge life just got better!

Great idea! This should be a huge help for all involved and hopefully it will cut down on some of the hi-jacking on some threads.

I guess I'm in the minority and that's fine.  Personally I would have just liked to see a section where the manufacturers could post and get product questions answered and maybe new announcements.  I think there are too many sub sections to the manufacturer forum.  What happens when Lionel, Williams by Bman, and others all sign up for this?   I guess I just don't see the point of moving the DCS/PS out of the control section.  As I said it just seems like too much of a good thing maybe.  I guess the good news is it can always be tweaked.

Atlas O I hope you read this. You had a good Forum and let it go. Please STEP UP!

Dick

Great idea.