You are too old if you remember.......

[roadman]

When MassDPW used to sign towns like North Reading or South Attleboro as NO. READING and SO. ATTLEBORO; today, the single letter initial for North (N.) & South (S.) are used.

When I first saw NO. READING on a sign (might've been a state bookleaf type at the town border) as a young kid; my initial thought was, "Why would there be a town called (intentional phonetic pronounciation & spelling here) NO REEDING?  Don't they like books?[/i]".

Similarly, on a Monopoly board; I originally pronounced the Reading Railroad property as the Reeding Railroad.
 

Reminds me of the signs that used to be on the Cross Westchester Expressway.  Just after the MUTCD started advocating for the removal of periods from common abbreviations on signs (it was initially (no pun intended) a "should not" condition instead of a "shall not" one), NYSDOT installed new signs that read "White Plains No White Plains".

Apparently they didn't bother to note the part in the MUTCD about "N E S W" being the only acceptable abbreviations for cardinal directions.

And, FWIW, despite what the MUTCD states, MassDOT policy is to still use a period after the N, S, E, or W abbreviations.  However, they've dropped the period from all other abbreviations on signs.

As for Monopoly, when I was in grade school, my strategy was to buy up every railroad I landed on.  Not because that was really good for your earnings (which I didn't figure out until a few years later), but because I've always liked railroads.

[PHLBOS]

So how's it supposed to be pronounced?  Like Redding?

For the railroad and the towns (PA has a Reading as well), yes.

OTOH, reading a book or computer screen is pronounced with the -ee sound.

Reminds me of the signs that used to be on the Cross Westchester Expressway.  Just after the MUTCD started advocating for the removal of periods from common abbreviations on signs (it was initially (no pun intended) a "should not" condition instead of a "shall not" one), NYSDOT installed new signs that read "White Plains No White Plains".

Sounds like an Alanland application. 

[1995hoo]

When MassDPW used to sign towns like North Reading or South Attleboro as NO. READING and SO. ATTLEBORO; today, the single letter initial for North (N.) & South (S.) are used.

When I first saw NO. READING on a sign (might've been a state bookleaf type at the town border) as a young kid; my initial thought was, "Why would there be a town called (intentional phonetic pronounciation & spelling here) NO REEDING?  Don't they like books?[/i]".

Similarly, on a Monopoly board; I originally pronounced the Reading Railroad property as the Reeding Railroad.
 

I originally said "Reading Railroad" too. I sounded out the word, just like we were taught to do in school.

So how's it supposed to be pronounced?  Like Redding?

Growing up in Ohio and having seen Reading Rainbow on TV, it would never cross my mind that Reading Railroad should be pronounced without an ee sound.

Yes, "Redding," like the town in England that is home to the soccer club who have been bouncing back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years. Presumably said town in England is the source of the name of the town in Pennsylvania and the railroad.

[agentsteel53]

Yes, "Redding," like the town in England that is home to the soccer club who have been bouncing back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years. Presumably said town in England is the source of the name of the town in Pennsylvania and the railroad.

there is a Redding, CA as well. 

between "premier" and "championship", I cannot tell which one is higher.  similar to "championship" and "bowl" in American football.  even 1-A and 1-AA was moderately ambiguous.  whatever happened to 1, 2, 3, ...

oh right, people don't like being told they're number two.  all hail the mediocracy!

[PHLBOS]

Yes, "Redding," like the town in England that is home to the soccer club who have been bouncing back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years. Presumably said town in England is the source of the name of the town in Pennsylvania and the railroad.

Likely for the town in Massachusetts as well.

[1995hoo]

Yes, "Redding," like the town in England that is home to the soccer club who have been bouncing back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship in recent years. Presumably said town in England is the source of the name of the town in Pennsylvania and the railroad.

there is a Redding, CA as well. 

....

Connecticut, too (Redding Ridge). If you read My Brother Sam Is Dead when you were a kid you've heard of that one. But we were referring to "Reading," which is pronounced like "Redding."

[deathtopumpkins]

When MassDPW used to sign towns like North Reading or South Attleboro as NO. READING and SO. ATTLEBORO; today, the single letter initial for North (N.) & South (S.) are used.

When I first saw NO. READING on a sign (might've been a state bookleaf type at the town border) as a young kid; my initial thought was, "Why would there be a town called (intentional phonetic pronounciation & spelling here) NO REEDING?  Don't they like books?[/i]".

Doesn't MA still use "NO." and "SO." abbreviations?

Everywhere I can think of has them, including a recently-replaced ENTERING sign for "No. Andover" I pass by frequently. That's always been a pet peeve of mine about MA, since IMHO "NO." is less intuitive than "N." as "North", so I would be very glad to see that change, but I honestly cannot think of any examples of "N." on MassDOT signage. I'll need to start keeping a closer eye out for that, because I'll believe it when I see it.

[PHLBOS]

Doesn't MA still use "NO." and "SO." abbreviations?

Everywhere I can think of has them, including a recently-replaced ENTERING sign for "No. Andover" I pass by frequently.

You are correct that MassDOT apparently still uses the 2-letter abbreviation for the bookleaf ENTERING SIGNS... at least for North Andover along MA 114; although that replacement may have been a one-off following the old one being either vandalized, stolen or damaged/knocked-down following an accident (and thereby matching older specs.).  However, I do recall seeing a bookleaf ENTERING NORTH READING BWS a while ago that utilized narrower letters for the town.  Roadman can likely confirm regarding all of the above.

I honestly cannot think of any examples of "N." on MassDOT signage. I'll need to start keeping a closer eye out for that, because I'll believe it when I see it.

The majority of BGS' along MA highways use the single letter abbreviation for North and South.

BGS assembly along I-495 North approaching MA 114 (S. Lawrence for 114 West, Exit 42B) example:

http://goo.gl/maps/oOFas

BGS assembly along I-93 North approaching Exits 40 & 41 (MA 62 & MA 125); this photo predates the replacement BGS' and assembly that sports the same messages sans the pull-through BGS for I-93 North:

http://goo.gl/maps/BIPLK

A newer, LGS example containing N. Andover at the beginning of MA 125, taken from the exit ramp off I-93 North.  Note: I'm aware of the LGS for MA 125 off MA 28 containing the older No. Andover listing.

http://goo.gl/maps/PV7X0

LGS example of N. Reading at the end of the off-ramp from I-93 North to MA 62, on the 62 WEST panel; pardon the blurry StreetView image.

http://goo.gl/maps/tQX0v

[ZLoth]

A few more non-road stuff....

* Dialing POP-CORN would give you the latest time.
* The best the TV forecaster could do is give you tomorrows weather forecast. Forget computer displays and green screens, this was hard panels.
* The Atari 2600 was the cool console to have
* Having a 2400 baud modem was really cool.
* It was a big deal if a show was in color verses black and white.
* Television stations announced that the show was "In Stereo Where Available"
* Viewing Film Strips (beep) and being the designated projectionist in school because you could operate the room's projector efficiently

[elsmere241]

A few more non-road stuff....

* Viewing Film Strips (beep) and being the designated projectionist in school because you could operate the room's projector efficiently

For a little while there were filmstrip projectors that advanced automatically - and you didn't hear the beep.

[roadman]

For several decades, in eastern Massachusetts, to get the time you dialed "NES-TLES".

[1995hoo]

In Northern Virginia to get the time you dialed 844 and any four numbers. I think there was a similar service for the weather forecast, but I never used it so I don't remember what the prefix was. The 844- service was only recently eliminated sometime within the past few years.

[msubulldog]

A few more non-road stuff....

* Dialing POP-CORN would give you the latest time.
* The best the TV forecaster could do is give you tomorrows weather forecast. Forget computer displays and green screens, this was hard panels.
* The Atari 2600 was the cool console to have
* Having a 2400 baud modem was really cool.
* It was a big deal if a show was in color verses black and white.
* Television stations announced that the show was "In Stereo Where Available"
* Viewing Film Strips (beep) and being the designated projectionist in school because you could operate the room's projector efficiently

There were TV shows at the beginning announcing "In Color"

[msubulldog]

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune being hosted by someone other than Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak respectively.

[msubulldog]

Some sports-related tidbits:
NFL coaches, and not just Tom Landry, wearing a coat and tie on the sideline.
MLB umpires wearing coats and ties; and at that each league having their own umpiring staffs with AL umpires wearing red coats and their NL counterparts wearing blue coats.
AL umpires wearing chest protectors outside their uniforms.
The "technicolor" look of MLB in the 70s and 80s--with teams like the Athletics, Pirates, and Indians leading the way. And to top it off teams like the Phillies, Royals, Expos, Braves, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Cardinals wearing powder blue uniforms on the road.
The Dallas Cowboys wearing blue jerseys at home.

[mgk920]

-TVs and radios producing a wonderful warm smell after they were on for a half hour or so - and it took several seconds between turning the sets on before the picture and sound would come up.

-"Regular or ethyl?"

-Classmates bringing their rifles and shotguns to school in their cars during the fall (it was hunting season, after all), happily showing off the game that they bagged before coming in - and everyone else (including teachers and administrators) thinking that it was very interesting and even a bit kewl.

-Dialing a telephone (none of those new-fangled buttons here!) that was hard-wired into the wall at home.

-Paying for lunch with a couple of coins.

-Using the Post Office for most long-distance communications.

-Federal Thunderbolt 1000T sirens sounding tornado warnings, as well as noons every Saturday.

-When the Dallas Cowboys were an elite NFL team.

-Using tokens to pay the fare on buses and subways.

-Seeing a TV antenna on the roof of every house.

-No divisional play in Baseball.

Mike

[agentsteel53]

kewl.

I am sufficiently old that I remember when this was not actually a word.

[hbelkins]

NFL coaches, and not just Tom Landry, wearing a coat and tie on the sideline.

Heard recently that it's a licensing issue. There was a coach (can't remember who it was) who wanted to wear a coat and tie and requested permission from the league, which refused. They want that officially licensed merchandise showcased so gullible fans can buy a shirt or hat JUST LIKE THE COACH WEARS!!!!!

[msubulldog]

NFL coaches, and not just Tom Landry, wearing a coat and tie on the sideline.

Heard recently that it's a licensing issue. There was a coach (can't remember who it was) who wanted to wear a coat and tie and requested permission from the league, which refused. They want that officially licensed merchandise showcased so gullible fans can buy a shirt or hat JUST LIKE THE COACH WEARS!!!!!

I think it was Mike Nolan when he coached the 49ers. Jack Del Rio also dressed to the nines when he coached the Jaguars.

[bugo]

kewl.

I am sufficiently old that I remember when this was not actually a word.

Everyone in this thread is sufficiently old enough that they shouldn't be saying "kewl".  It doesn't make you look kewl.

[PHLBOS]

For several decades, in eastern Massachusetts, to get the time you dialed "NES-TLES".

...and temperature.

-Using tokens to pay the fare on buses and subways.

That's still done on the SEPTA system throughout Greater Philadelphia.

Here's another (rough paraphrase):

This is a test of the Emegency Broadcast System.  This is only a test.

*Long-continuous audable high-pitched signal for roughly two-to-three minutes*

This is a test of the Emegency Broadcast System.  The broadcasters in your area have developed this test w/the FCC to alert you of an emergency in your area.  If this had been an actual emergency, the attention signal you heard would been followed by federal, state and local information.  This concludes this test of the Emergency Broadcast System.

Another TV-related one:

When TV stations would go off the air overnight; the station would usually play the Star-Spangled Banner or Taps beforehand.

[roadman65]

This is definetely too old for me to remember, but my dad tells me that he used to drive from Newark, NJ to Union Beach, NJ in twenty minuets!  He even told me that this was prior to the Garden State Parkway as well.   

For those of you who live in New Jersey,  most likely know that even on the GSP you cannot even go from Newark to Keyport (a few miles short of Union Beach) in that said time.   Back then it was only US 9 and NJ 35 and traffic must of been super light and absolutely no signals through most of its run outside of Elizabeth, NJ including Laurence Harbor, Cliffwood, Keyport, and Hazlet. 

[route56]

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune being hosted by someone other than Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak Art Fleming and Chuck Woolery, respectively.

FTFY. Those someones do have names, after all.

[DaBigE]

-Federal Thunderbolt 1000T sirens sounding tornado warnings, as well as noons every Saturday.

We still have quite a few of those still in operation around the Dane County area.

[Big John]

Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune being hosted by someone other than Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak Art Fleming and Chuck Woolery, respectively.

FTFY. Those someones do have names, after all.

And was Susan Stafford turning the letters instead of Vanna White