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The Reading Railroad

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The Reading Railroad
Posted by willy6 on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:28 AM

I was at a train show and we got into a discussion about what is the proper name of the Reading Railroad, is it "Reeding or Reding". I have alot of train videos and one said it was "Reeding" and another said it was "Reding". Maybe the creator of the famous "Monopoly Game" might know, "Take a ride on the Reading Railroad and collect $200.00 if you pass go".

Being old is when you didn't loose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it.
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Posted by tstage on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:34 AM

I have always heard it pronounced 'Red-ding.  I'm sure Randy (rrinker) will set the record straight.

Tom

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Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by NittanyLion on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:43 AM

It is Redding. That's how the city of Reading is pronounced  

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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:43 AM

willy6
I was at a train show and we got into a discussion about what is the proper name of the Reading Railroad

Reading (/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ RED-ingPennsylvania GermanReddin) is a city in and the county seat of Berks CountyPennsylvania, United States. With a population of 87,575, it is the fifth-largest city in Pennsylvania.  Located in the southeastern part of the state, it is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area, and is furthermore included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia.

Now let's tackle Mallet, Kato and Lok-Sound Big Smile

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by tstage on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:52 AM

Ed,

We could have conversation on towns in Ohio alone: Wooster, Berlin, Milan, Mantua - even Cincinnati...Stick out tongue

Tom

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Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by tstage on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:55 AM

willy6
I have alot of train videos and one said it was "Reeding" and another said it was "Reding".

My guess is that the narrator of the former was NOT from eastern PA...

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, November 22, 2018 9:58 AM

Depends on which side of the tracks you live on.  Big Smile

Henry

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Posted by josephbw on Thursday, November 22, 2018 11:51 AM

My parents were both born and raised in Man-ta-way Ohio. Big Smile

Been there many times.

 

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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, November 22, 2018 2:35 PM

Yup, it's Redding for sure, unlike the former Reader Railroad, which was pronounced Reeder.

Pronunciation can often be a very local thing, too.  I was in English's Model Railroad Supply (home of Bowser) one time, and asked if anyone could tell me how to pronounce Youghiogheny, as in Pittsburgh McKeesport & Youghiogheny.

As I recall, I got a couple of what might have been guesses.  My guess would have been Yuh-guyo-haney, but what I got was Yucka-haney. 
That was more-or-less confirmed when I went, with a couple of American friends, railfanning alongside the Youghiogheny River, which they called simply the Yuck.

I was in a well-known hobbyshop in the Chicago area, and was surprised when an employee answered the 'phone with "Dezz-Planes-Hobbies", while here in English-speaking Canada, it would more likely have been Duh-Plain-Hobbies, and in Québec, the pronunciation might have been Day-Plen-Obby.

Many tourists to southern Ontario refer to the provincial capital as Tor-on-toe, but most Ontarians, especially in the areas around that city, call it Trawna (I think that 's supposed to more-or-less rhyme with "trauma")

Wayne

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Posted by dehusman on Thursday, November 22, 2018 3:11 PM

Additional trivia.  Depending on era, of course, its not the Reading Railroad.  Its the technically the Reading Company (which is why afficianadoes bleong the the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society).  Its also listed as the Reading Company in the ORER and the passenger cars say Reading Company in the letterboard.  

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by NittanyLion on Thursday, November 22, 2018 4:09 PM

doctorwayne
, which they called simply the Yuck.

 

Growing up in the area, depending on the amount of accent you have, you also get "the Yock."

That's what it sounds like coming out of me.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, November 22, 2018 6:42 PM

NittanyLion

 doctorwayne

, which they called simply the Yuck.

 

Growing up in the area, depending on the amount of accent you have, you also get "the Yock."

That's what it sounds like coming out of me.

 
You're right about regional accents having an influence on pronunciation, too, and those regions can be surprisingly close to one another, with each area their own take on how words should sound.
For example, around here, a carrot is know as a care-it, while relatives 100 miles north of here call them carr-utts.
 
Wayne
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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, November 22, 2018 7:18 PM

 Down here where we pronounce it "redding" we eat "carr-uts"

Though I am currently on the opposite end of Pennsylvania and have to deal with people asking for a 'pop' and referring to the group as "yins"

Just 3/4 of a state away, it's like a different world. Though Pennsylvania IS pretty wide.

BTW Reading is named for her sister city of Reading, England. SHortly after WWII, there was a large ceremony where the Lord Mayor of the English city visited.

There are other Readings in the US, far as I know they are all pronounced "redding". California left no doubt and just spelled it that way. 

                           --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Billwiz on Friday, November 23, 2018 5:59 AM

Many years ago at a Greenburg Train show, I won a door prize.  My mailing address was Reading and as my name was mentioned, they announced me from "Reeding" PA.  Somone leaned over and said "that's pronounced Redding, as in the railroad".

 

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Posted by rws1225 on Friday, November 23, 2018 8:41 AM

Small town in Michigan named Pompeii as in Italy.  Locals pronounce all the vowels - Pomp- e- i- i.  First time I heard it I wasn't sure what town they meant?

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Posted by hardcoalcase on Friday, November 23, 2018 1:15 PM

I lived in "Joisey" for a few years during the mid 80's and marveled at the accent, especially in the Jersey City-Elizabeth area.  My favorite recollection was hearing "Hey yousguys... dabodia, comheah"

"Dabodia" meant "the both of you".

Gotta love it! Big Smile

Jim

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Posted by csxns on Saturday, November 24, 2018 2:10 PM

doctorwayne
Reader Railroad

Remember the movie Boxcar Bertha.

Russell

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Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, November 24, 2018 4:55 PM

Never heard of Boxcar Bertha.  I see it had the father/son Carradines.   Dad was the gambler in Stagecoach and David was either most famous for his TV show Kung Fu or his unfortunate and embarassing mode of departure from this life.

Henry

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, November 24, 2018 5:15 PM

csxns
...Remember the movie Boxcar Bertha.

I saw it years ago, but don't have much recollection of it...what a surprise, eh?

BigDaddy
....his unfortunate and embarassing mode of departure from this life.

I wasn't aware of that one, although I doubt that he was all that embarrassed...probably had a smile on his face.
 
I'd add a comment about moving in two directions at the same time, but I don't wish to be censored by the Moderators. 

Wayne

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Posted by csxns on Saturday, November 24, 2018 7:00 PM

BigDaddy
Carradines

Barbara Hershey hope i spelled that right played Bertha.

Russell

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Posted by jguess733 on Saturday, November 24, 2018 8:54 PM

Here in western washington we have a town called Puyallup. It took me over a year of seeing road signs for the town and trying to phonetically pronounce to figure out it's pronounced pew-al-up. It was tv advertisement for something that clued me in. 

Jason

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Posted by Colorado Ray on Saturday, November 24, 2018 9:37 PM

We have a town in North Carolina named Fuquay-Varina.  A guy was driving through town and saw Fuquay-Varina Drugs, Fuquay-Varina Hardware, etc.  he finally pulled into a local drive-in business establishment to ask how this place was pronounced.  The person on the other end of the speaker patiently said; "Burger King."  BTW, the Town is pronounced Few-kway vuh-REE-nah.

Ray

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, November 24, 2018 11:51 PM

csxns
Barbara Hershey...

Ah, yes!  Now I remember the movie...tastier than the chocolate bar named after her!

Wayne

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Posted by dehusman on Sunday, November 25, 2018 7:18 AM

Barbara Hershey...

And we come full circle since Hershey, PA is served by the Reading.  F&C has a resin kit for one of the RDG boxcar/hoppers that carried cocoa beans for Hershey.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by BRAKIE on Sunday, November 25, 2018 8:51 AM

Years ago I heard Reading pronuce Reading as in "What book are you reading?"

Larry

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Summerset Ry.


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Posted by dehusman on Sunday, November 25, 2018 9:01 AM

A guy is driving through a rural part of the state and comes toa town with an unusual name.  So he stops at the restaurant and goes in.  When the waitress comes over to the table, he asks her, " How do you pronounce the name of this place?"  

The waitress replies, "Dare - eee   Kween".

Badum bum.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Monday, November 26, 2018 8:44 AM

I don't know if this counts or not, by my wife, born and raised in England pronounces Reading as Redding also.  No German in her at all.

we eat "carr-uts"

  Close enough.

 

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by tommy24a on Monday, November 26, 2018 10:19 AM

Yes Red-ing

Live 45 mins away.

 

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Posted by wjstix on Monday, November 26, 2018 1:34 PM

willy6

I have alot of train videos and one said it was "Reeding" and another said it was "Reding".

I would hazard a guess that the one that pronounced it wrong ("Reed-ding") was one of the "Glory Machines" videos? I have a couple of them, and it's impressive how many place names the narrator (who apparently was a well-respected veteran Chicago broadcaster) got wrong.

 

Stix
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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, November 26, 2018 3:21 PM

Only two out of 28 have heard it prounounced reeding.  I think it's time

Henry

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