You mean where there are lots of people who would never mix in real life all thrust together but hiding behind made up names and profile pictures of trains or dragons, with no chance of any real consequences (like fisticuffs) from anything they may say to each other? I have no idea how that gets out of hand so easily.
There don't seem to be any jocks on the forum, so we nerds have to fight with each other. If it weren't for the Moderators, it might descend into the worst kind of verbal food fight. Our mutual obsession with all things trains is the only thing that keeps us from going over the edge.
Every online forum I’ve ever been involved in whatever it’s about, whether it’s trains, cars, music stars, etc, occasionally descends into some kind of temporary chaos. It’s human nature and the disease that is the internet I’m afraid I once joined an online forum that was all about the Ford S Max. You’ve no idea how up their own backsides the members on it were. One guy from Singapore I think it was reckons he was so clued up on this particular car that everyone else were complete idiots for not knowing whatever about it. He was so bad he probably thought he knew more about it than Ford who actually built it!