Conductors Pls Read - unfair wishlists

[NickiB]

this thread makes me leary about even being a conductor

Lol.. my head is spinning too Kim.. I havent' checked out this thread in a bit, and have missed a lot of chatter! I do agree I find some wishlists hard, but as a conductor, usually try to help any riders who are stuck if I can as I don't want anyone to be too frustrated.. kinda takes the fun out of riding trains.

That said.. I likely have a few coupons on my own wishlist that I didn't realize were call ins.. so if anyone notices this.. please let me know and I'll make the adjustment!

[FallenPixels]

I think we all do Nicki and I do not intend on policing this heavily, a conductor can make rules as they wish (if your train is a free for all, people know that going in - but why make a rule saying 40 tearpads and then allow people with no tearpads to join?)

It is not that you have to allow for tearpads or that you have to say call-ins are 2pts or whatever, so I am not sure why conductors would have an issue - if you set rules, you follow them. If you don't set the rule, it is not there to be followed.

Several users wanted to leave negs/neutrals for conductors and riders because of unfair wishlists, I mediated these to stop people receiving negs - but this is not my job as trade mod, I have enough to do with missing envies and scammers who like to sign up over and over again. People should not be signing up for a train believing everyone is following the same rules when they are not and that is not fair.

Honestly, we are trying to help members by posting these threads to set better guidelines and instead people just complain - we are doing this to protect people so we don't have to set super strict rules and instead I have people sending me hate mail ~sigh~

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

This doesn't deter me from hosting trains at all, in fact it has given me some great ideas on how to be a better conductor!

I've never had someone get mad at me for asking them to adjust their WL, and if they did I would reconsider letting them ride at all.

I AM going to start enforcing certain rules that I've let slide in the past, especially the one about sending your WL and info within 24 hours of joining.... Waiting 3 days for a list is my biggest pet peeve

[FallenPixels]

still getting complaints about this

[nat77]

still getting complaints about this

I know that I, as well as several other conductors, have made a HUGE effort to ensure that wishlists contain easy to find coupons.

On several of my trains, I stipulated that there needed to be 20 tearpad or web coupons on their wishlists and even denied boarding to a few riders who would not conform to this new rule.

Maybe a quick pm could be sent to a conductor if they are getting complaints about how their train is run. I know I certainly wouldn't mind---as long as it is constructive criticism.

If anyone has any other suggestions on how conductors can enforce riders to create easier wishlists--I'm all ears!

And can I just put this out there?.... There are ALWAYS going to be riders with challenging wishlists!!! I even have trouble with some riders' wishlists. (Riders that I LOVE and LOVE to have on my trains). Instead of whining about how difficult their wishlists are, though, I put some of the coupons that I know they keep on their wishlists and add them to my own. I really don't use the $1 Nestea coupon or the $2 Olymel coupon, but I know other riders do, and that's why I keep them on my wishlist.

[shawlightning]

I know that I, as well as several other conductors, have made a HUGE effort to ensure that wishlists contain easy to find coupons.

On several of my trains, I stipulated that there needed to be 20 tearpad or web coupons on their wishlists and even denied boarding to a few riders who would not conform to this new rule.

Maybe a quick pm could be sent to a conductor if they are getting complaints about how their train is run. I know I certainly wouldn't mind---as long as it is constructive criticism.

If anyone has any other suggestions on how conductors can enforce riders to create easier wishlists--I'm all ears!

And can I just put this out there?.... There are ALWAYS going to be riders with challenging wishlists!!! I even have trouble with some riders' wishlists. (Riders that I LOVE and LOVE to have on my trains). Instead of whining about how difficult their wishlists are, though, I put some of the coupons that I know they keep on their wishlists and add them to my own. I really don't use the $1 Nestea coupon or the $2 Olymel coupon, but I know other riders do, and that's why I keep them on my wishlist.

i have done this too cuz there are just some coupons that i don't want to give up from my personal stash cuz they are ones that we go thru in excess. i have added coupons to my wishlist knowing that we won't use them or many of them just so that i can trade them in the trains!

[Venuila]

Well said Nat! I've tried to make it easier for riders on my trains as well as now I enforce a rule that WLs must have at least 10 online/tearpad or insert coupons on their list. I don't think 10 is unreasonable and a lot of riders already meet that. But there are a select few that in order to meet that requirement list the really rare or HV online/tearpads, which don't make their list any "easier" to fill.
I know many people that ride a lot of trains include things that are on others WLs (like Nat mentioned). And I don't think it's necessarily always that people's WLs are "unfair" but rather, sometimes my stash just sucks.

[FallenPixels]

The conductors have been contacted but we have new conductors all the time so just a general reminder

[super807]

And can I just put this out there?.... There are ALWAYS going to be riders with challenging wishlists!!! I even have trouble with some riders' wishlists. (Riders that I LOVE and LOVE to have on my trains). Instead of whining about how difficult their wishlists are, though, I put some of the coupons that I know they keep on their wishlists and add them to my own. I really don't use the $1 Nestea coupon or the $2 Olymel coupon, but I know other riders do, and that's why I keep them on my wishlist.

I totally understand why you would do this. I have just recently heard about doing this in past month (had never occurred to me to do). On traditional trains I have at times kept a coupon for trading purposes rather than for one I will use myself. But it feels sort of counter productive to put something on my trade list that is just for trading. It just adds to how many steps before a coupon gets to someone who will use it. And it puts those hard to find coupons on more wish lists, possibly over-inflating the desirability of those coupons? It's just a thought (and I could be wrong).

Some wishlists really are hard to fill. Sometimes not because the contents are only HV/rare coupons, but sometimes because someone's wish list looks a lot like my own. At times I have given up coupons from my own personal stash. But if that happens too often, then it's not worth it to me to ride. But for the most part, I have been able to manage on trains (but I don't do a lot of VWTs) and have been able to fill wishlists. But for the past several months, I've also been quite lucky in finding decent tear pads. Those have been what have really helped.

[bewitched]

This has been a very interesting read!!
I know, i have had trouble with wishlists and I contact the person directly and asked for help. Most of the time, people are great and respond with more options.. it has been a rare occurrence that people have refused to help.
I am running my first train as we speak and will certainly pay close attention to peoples lists!
I dont think I have ever been a part of such a supporting community.
Thanks to everyone and all their hard work!!!!!!!!

[angel_2011]

Quite often I've had to give up coupons from my personal stash - which I don't mind at all - because if I'm giving up 3-4 personal coupons, on a VWT with 10 riders, I'm getting back at least 20-30 coupons from my wishlist. So it may break my heart to give up the coupons, but then I'm over excited when I get my envie with wonderful coupons from my fellow riders.

I have found wishlists easier since 99% of conductors are enforcing the 10-20 easy coupon rule - however, there are some (1%) who state the "rules" but still allow riders with unreasonable wls to join - then it's left up to the other riders to pm them when we have trouble with their wls.

[FallenPixels]

Do let me know about the 1% doing it, most of the ones I PMed are now enforcing their rules.

Again, you don't have to have a rule about tearpads etc, just enforce them if you do. There have been unicorn/HV trains run with no issues

[mhmartel]

In general, I don't mind too much if someone's wishlist is super difficult, as long as they don't mind getting stamps! Some frequent riders already have lots of the more common coupons, and I'd rather send stamps than send something they don't really need.

That said, if someone's wishlist has nothing BUT hard-to-find coupons -- and then has them all valued at 1 point - I become very reluctant to dig into my personal stash for them. I assume that the point value you place on a coupon indicates its value to you -- so if you have that lovely HV unicorn valued at 1 point, I tend to think you don't really want it all that much. I would rather hold on to it for someone who will be really happy to get it.

What grinds my gears is wishlists that are almost entirely non-existent coupons -- either expired, or doesn't exist with that expiry or that amount, or just complete unicorns. It's so easy to check the dollars and cents thread to see what is out there currently. So I really wish conductors would be strict about rejecting WL's like this, if only so I don't have to send a gajillion stamps for a train.
And I really, really appreciate all the great conductors on here who ARE strict about WL's -- it is always a pleasure to ride your trains.

[Venuila]

Hello friends

I just wanted to post a friendly reminder to everyone.

Over the last few months the amount of coupons I get from trains that are NOT on my wishlist has increased quite a lot...ones that are counted as the "3 pts" sent to me. I like to think I am pretty clear on my wishlist of what I am looking for and don't know how to make it any clearer without putting caps all over my list which might make me look like I'm just yelling all the time and don't really want to do.

Some examples? “$3 Buitoni Pizza, Nov 30” … I was sent a $1 one that was counted as one of the 3 pts sent to me. I have lots of those and it was listed as a 3 pointer, so I was only looking for the $3 one.
“$3 on any Infants, Children’s or Junior Tylenol or Motrin product, Dec 31, 2013” …at least twice I was sent the $2 tearpad – which is not the one I am looking for, this one is a long rectangular one from the doctors office (I think?).
Another good example, that as a Conductor I see a lot too, if someone has “$2 wub 2 Greenworks, must be good on wipes” on their WL…don’t send them the insert!!! That is only valid on the triggers. These are things that are clearly stated on wishlists.

If someone’s list is too hard, don’t be shy to ask them for more ideas or even ask the Conductor for help. I also strongly encourage this before sending someone a stamp and writing on their bundle “hard wishlist” – personally, I think that’s a little rude when I’m sure something could have been worked out.
You should also always look at the top of everyone's wishlist to see what they are looking for versus what they are not (multiples, printed, etc). Sometimes people even have other important information there (for ex “upcs are not important”) that can help you fulfill wishlists.

I know we all mistakes (myself included!) and I'm not trying to be rude or complain but wanted to mention it to hopefully remind everyone to be courteous to other riders and conductors.

[KK7]

well said Venuila I myself have had written on my paper to me hard wishlist which I don`t like at all ANYONE that knows me knows I am ok with stamp if you really can`t find anything. My list maybe hard because I don`t have a huge budget and only need certain things. I also thought at one time that I didn`t word my Crisco right because I was getting the Shortening instead of the Oil then I realize people were just sending wrong ones because on my list it says exp Aug 2014 Shortening is Dec 31. I don`t blame the conductors at ALL as a conductor I find it VERY overwhelming try to comb each list and mistakes do happen this is why I enjoy having same riders makes my job easier lol.