Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

The Reading Railroad

9710 views
51 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Ridgeville,South Carolina
  • 1,294 posts
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.
Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,249 posts
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

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

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

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Thursday, November 22, 2018 8:43 AM

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

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
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

Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,249 posts
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

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

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

Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,249 posts
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

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

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, November 22, 2018 9:58 AM

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

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: Ohio
  • 231 posts
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.

 

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
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

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
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

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,767 posts
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.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
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
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
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.

  • Member since
    October 2010
  • 383 posts
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".

 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • 88 posts
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?

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Nashville, TN area
  • 713 posts
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

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: North Carolina
  • 1,905 posts
Posted by csxns on Saturday, November 24, 2018 2:10 PM

doctorwayne
Reader Railroad

Remember the movie Boxcar Bertha.

Russell

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
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

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
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

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: North Carolina
  • 1,905 posts
Posted by csxns on Saturday, November 24, 2018 7:00 PM

BigDaddy
Carradines

Barbara Hershey hope i spelled that right played Bertha.

Russell

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Bremerton, Wa
  • 540 posts
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

Modeling the Fort Worth & Denver of the early 1970's in N scale

  • Member since
    March 2013
  • 427 posts
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

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
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

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
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

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
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

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
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

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • 8,892 posts
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

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • 11 posts
Posted by tommy24a on Monday, November 26, 2018 10:19 AM

Yes Red-ing

Live 45 mins away.

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
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
  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
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

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!