What is "railroading" to you (as a player)?

[Reynard]

If lack of information leads to players not enjoying the progress of play, I would rather just tell them.

Mysteries and puzzles can be fun when they generate more conflict, less so when they leave the players unsure what the path forward is.

There's a middle ground: them actually looking for different paths and solutions.

 

[TwoSix]

There's a middle ground: them actually looking for different paths and solutions.

Sure, but that's something you have to be very careful of as a GM. What's apparent in your mental frame as a GM often doesn't translate well to the players in terms of "what options are available to me that are meaningful".

Scenarios where you as players have to debate between 3 or 4 options with unclear odds of success is totally great. Scenarios where players are struggling to come up with one plan of action are less fun.

 

[zakael19]

Sure, but that's something you have to be very careful of as a GM. What's apparent in your mental frame as a GM often doesn't translate well to the players in terms of "what options are available to me that are meaningful".

Scenarios where you as players have to debate between 3 or 4 options with unclear odds of success is totally great. Scenarios where players are struggling to come up with one plan of action are less fun.

This is why I've turned "figure out the right-ish answer" puzzles into entirely optional bonus stuff! Players see them there, feel smart when they solve them, but we never run into the all so frequent "discard the correct solution they come upon almost immediately and now you're like how hard do I have to hint" scenario where half an hour of play goes by without anything happening.

 

[Scott Christian]

This should not be understated.
Good players rub off on poor/bad players as they find inspiration from them and happily surprise you when their roleplaying style starts to match the table's. Carrots whether it be via the narrative or small mechanical benefits as rewards also help retrain their ways.

I have a player who is returning to the game after a long absence from RPGs where of old we had terrible habits...and I can see the process of him improving.

I'm glad it is happening at your table. Our group has a few "off track" players, but they are only off track at times. The others help them improve all the time. In the end, people improve when they are surrounded by people who want them to improve. (And, there needs to be chemistry in there too, but that is a whole different topic.)