AARoads Forum

Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: J N Winkler on November 05, 2010, 02:13:36 PM

Title: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: J N Winkler on November 05, 2010, 02:13:36 PM
To complement the wall clock thread . . .

I start with:

*  Airfield signs internationally (except at some airports, e.g. London Heathrow, where local traffic typefaces have been substituted)

*  Gate identification signs at many US airports
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D (and other widths too)
Post by: agentsteel53 on November 05, 2010, 02:29:36 PM
Chevron gas stations use E or EM for the digits in their price displays.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: huskeroadgeek on November 05, 2010, 08:41:35 PM
Several different companies use FHWA-like fonts in their advertising. Arby's is the one I notice the most.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Quillz on November 05, 2010, 08:53:47 PM
AT&T uses a modified version of Clearview as their official corporate font.

EDIT: Sorry, misread the topic title, thought it said off-highway uses of highway fonts.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on November 05, 2010, 10:13:19 PM
Dairy Queen comes to my mind... I don't know if they're still using it though.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: cu2010 on November 05, 2010, 10:37:26 PM
Hannaford supermarkets here in the northeast use them as well...both in their print flyers and their website.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on November 05, 2010, 11:41:08 PM
K-Mart used to have their larger price tag signs in Series E or EM.   

The Weather Channel has used Highway Gothic on their maps and the local station forecasts for years.  Here's one link for my region's temperatures that I click on fairly often - the temperatures are all in series E, or maybe EM - hard to tell with the way they apply a "drop shadow" under the numbers. 

http://www.weather.com/maps/maptype/currentweatherusregional/northcentraluscurrenttemps_large.html
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.trainorders.com%2Fandroid%2Fmisc%2FWeatherChannelTempsMapExample.jpg&hash=295d4018d2caa14d4c520853d01e89c8c9583742)

Now over on the railroads, many hundreds of coal cars (and some other types as well) owned by First Union Rail Leasing have been relettered over the last decade into their own reporting marks "FURX" and many of those were done in Series D Highway Gothic.  It was becuase of those that I first ever "paid attention" to that typeface, this was several years ago now. I work for a RR contractor at a coal mine, and suddenly stated seeing those all the time, mostly just former DEEX cars after the lease expired and FURX relettered them in their own marks.  But I'd see them when inspecting trains, and found the nice friendly letters were nice to read, they were larger and different letters than on most of the other coal cars I'd see while writing train lists. I knew I'd seen those letter before but could not remember where..... until one day on the way home from work I saw a Speed Limit sign and was like "aha!  that's where I seen those before" and that started my, uh, well,  "infatuation" with Highway Gothic. Two examples of FURX RR cars with Series D on them:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F38005%2FIMG_6769.JPG&hash=9e7ca627702e0278439b3fe613dd192a51ef5e94)

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F18632%2FIMG_7661.JPG&hash=3b7c5e04ad1aa0cc28e3ef4850077a2ef402cf4c)

Also on the railroad, for Union Pacific, on their series of "Heritage Locomotives" they used Series E for engine numbers, both the painted on numbers and the light-up number boards. Two more examples:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F35237%2FCNW%2520herritage%2520unit%2520005.jpg&hash=e880c8f06e34534946b3129ef4c75150b254383b)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F7556%2FUP%25201989%2520LS%2520-1%2520Denver%2520CO%25206-17-06%2520%25201024.jpg&hash=95e8b4a37160ec670a9fde4c508d71dfc25c1b6f)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: agentsteel53 on November 06, 2010, 12:26:06 AM
those last two locomotives are cool as hell!
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Quillz on November 06, 2010, 02:13:38 AM
I work at a retail store and the containers we keep outside to store various merchandise are all numbered using Series B decals.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Eth on November 06, 2010, 08:47:59 AM
This may be stretching the definition of "off-highway", but the vast majority of school buses I've seen have the system name and bus number on the side in the FHWA fonts.  I've seen them ranging from Series B to D depending on the bus.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Ian on November 07, 2010, 09:19:38 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on November 06, 2010, 12:26:06 AM
those last two locomotives are cool as hell!

I agree!
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: ctsignguy on November 09, 2010, 07:46:27 AM
Quote from: Android on November 05, 2010, 11:41:08 PM
Also on the railroad, for Union Pacific, on their series of "Heritage Locomotives" they used Series E for engine numbers, both the painted on numbers and the light-up number boards. Two more examples:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F35237%2FCNW%2520herritage%2520unit%2520005.jpg&hash=e880c8f06e34534946b3129ef4c75150b254383b)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rrpicturearchives.net%2Fpictures%2F7556%2FUP%25201989%2520LS%2520-1%2520Denver%2520CO%25206-17-06%2520%25201024.jpg&hash=95e8b4a37160ec670a9fde4c508d71dfc25c1b6f)

And if you are an 'N-scaler', these locomotives are available from KATO through finer hobby shops and mail-order hobby retailers....
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Roadsign199qc on November 13, 2010, 12:31:43 PM
I've don't seen an highway font other than on the highway.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: 6a on November 22, 2010, 06:06:18 PM
Don't know if you'd call this 'off-highway' or not.  Our work trucks recently got a new number scheme, which called for new numbers (duh.)  This is pretty close, if not spot on (and the application is about as good as some of the signs I've seen :pan: )

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbishopdan.com%2Fimages%2F216.jpg&hash=c5394b420bf0e8ef2483c3b4d78a756471d79189)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on April 22, 2011, 02:46:27 PM
Okay, here's a crazy one, while it's not Series D exactly, it's definitely an "off-highway" usage.  This one certainly caught me by surprise.  I was making a frozen Safeway pizza the other day and decided to look at the nutrition facts label.

Immediately I noticed the spiked Highway Gothic style "t" in Nutrition, then I noticed the bold numbers were quite close to being Highway Gothic E-Modified.   Looked a little closer and realized that the entire Nutrition Facts Box was done in various derivations from Highway Gothic - well, one of similar commercial typefaces I'm sure.  Light and heavy type, stretched,etc.  I'm guessing someone in the Safeway products graphics department must be a roadgeek. 

Since this is something of a departure from the normal Nutrition Facts labelling, I took a few minutes to go and see if this was, in fact, "legal" or not.  FDA's website says it is. 

Q: How closely must I follow the "Examples of graphic enhancements used by the FDA" in appendix B to Part 101?

A: You are not required to follow Appendix B to Part 101. Appendix B and its specifications are a model, which FDA has suggested in the interest of uniformity of presentation. For example, 21 CFR 101.36(e)(3)(i) requires the use of an "easy-to-read" type style, not specifically Helvetica type, as suggested in Appendix B.


(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.trainorders.com%2Fandroid%2Fmisc%2FSafewayPizzaNutritionFactsLabel2.jpg&hash=c27e7ef44ca4d921476b10884b4c2ab084c0f8ff)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: stormwatch7721 on April 22, 2011, 11:21:18 PM
TV Guide magazine had the fonts.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on April 23, 2011, 12:13:58 AM
It's election time in Canada, and I just got some documentation explaining which documents I need and some other stuff. About half of the text is in Series D and E, or a variant thereof.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: cu2010 on April 23, 2011, 10:05:47 PM
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is now using Series E for many of it's graphics.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Scott5114 on April 24, 2011, 09:37:09 AM
Most of these "off-highway" uses aren't vanilla FHWA Series, but rather a typeface called Interstate, which was designed to resemble FHWA Series's letterforms but be more usable for other types of graphic design.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on April 24, 2011, 02:22:51 PM
yeah, that's about what I meant when I said " well, one of similar commercial typefaces" above. Interstate is one, there are others.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: ModusPwnins on April 24, 2011, 11:27:59 PM
I noticed last night that the video game Portal 2 uses FHWA fonts in one of the sections.

Album:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqEBCZ.jpg&hash=eb4f63dcc7860e88c80c1389de77a52356eaa037) (http://moduspwnins.imgur.com/portal_2_hwy_gothic)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: brownpelican on May 13, 2011, 12:39:03 AM
WBZ-TV in Boston.
http://weather.boston.cbslocal.com/US/MA/Boston.html (http://weather.boston.cbslocal.com/US/MA/Boston.html)

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fradar.cbslocal.com%2Fwbz%2FWBZ_7DAY.jpg&hash=c4257c5c48ed54c9832d968d58eb0bf717fcd19e)


Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Scott5114 on May 13, 2011, 10:14:52 PM
I wonder where FHWA Series fonts and weather got linked. TWC's Intellistar uses them too.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on May 14, 2011, 01:37:24 AM
It's used quite often on TV, it seems.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: on_wisconsin on June 03, 2011, 01:42:37 AM
How about the Sierra Mist Logo (especially the 'Mist')?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Ff%2Ffa%2FSierraMistLogoUpd2010.JPG&hash=1dbb40f93954ad27c2fb56ad4f60f231026b6e4e)
bigger view: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bc/Sierra_Mist_Natural_12-pack_cans_packaging.jpg/800px-Sierra_Mist_Natural_12-pack_cans_packaging.jpg
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on June 03, 2011, 01:54:16 AM
That's funny - I used to word for Pepsi!  However I live in one of the very few regions where the Locallly Owned Bottler Organizations have been able to resist "BIG" Pepsi's mandate to drop other soda lines and still bottles 7-up.  So there is no Sierra Mist sold around here, and no marketing for it either.   So I totally missed Sierra Mist using the FHWA lettering there! 
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: BigMattFromTexas on June 03, 2011, 01:03:30 PM
Quote from: Android on June 03, 2011, 01:54:16 AM
So I totally missed Sierra Mist using the FHWA lettering there! 

I noticed that last fall when they "revamped" their drink, and got a new can design. I looked at it and was like, that's a highway font! :D

Well maybe not the smiling part...
BigMatt
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: stormwatch7721 on June 03, 2011, 05:00:19 PM
Impact! Wrestling on Spike TV, the american TV channel, has the font.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: agentsteel53 on June 03, 2011, 06:13:55 PM
Quote from: stormwatch7721 on June 03, 2011, 05:00:19 PM
Impact! Wrestling on Spike TV, the american TV channel, has the font.

dang, here I thought they'd use Impact! Font! (as seen on so many cat macros)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: stormwatch7721 on June 03, 2011, 06:39:55 PM
They only use the font on the wrestlers' names.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: mightyace on June 04, 2011, 10:03:12 PM
Quote from: Android on June 03, 2011, 01:54:16 AM
That's funny - I used to word for Pepsi!  However I live in one of the very few regions where the Locallly Owned Bottler Organizations have been able to resist "BIG" Pepsi's mandate to drop other soda lines and still bottles 7-up.  So there is no Sierra Mist sold around here, and no marketing for it either.   So I totally missed Sierra Mist using the FHWA lettering there! 

Too bad.  Both my brother and I agree that Sierra Mist tastes more like the 7-up from the past (1970s and before) then what is actually called 7-up today.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: formulanone on June 08, 2011, 09:29:43 PM
Southwest Airlines seems to be using it as well, although in their printed ads and promos in the airports.

MINI also uses it occasionally.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: national highway 1 on February 28, 2014, 06:38:08 AM
Here is the album cover of the deluxe edition of Flume's album 'Flume'.(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F14%2F02%2F28%2Fmytere6y.jpg&hash=d69ad3d45d54025d3dd781db90f124f6a7da0b97)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: SidS1045 on February 28, 2014, 10:16:26 AM
Quote from: brownpelican on May 13, 2011, 12:39:03 AM
WBZ-TV in Boston.
http://weather.boston.cbslocal.com/US/MA/Boston.html (http://weather.boston.cbslocal.com/US/MA/Boston.html)

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fradar.cbslocal.com%2Fwbz%2FWBZ_7DAY.jpg&hash=c4257c5c48ed54c9832d968d58eb0bf717fcd19e)




Not even close.  Note particularly the 1, 2 and 3, and then compare to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Alphabets.pdf , page 24.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Zeffy on February 28, 2014, 11:05:17 AM
Quote from: SidS1045 on February 28, 2014, 10:16:26 AM
Not even close.  Note particularly the 1, 2 and 3, and then compare to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Alphabets.pdf , page 24.

I think he's referring to the 'BLUSTERY COLD' 'FILTERED SUN'... legends below the pictures of the weather. That looks to be Series E.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on February 28, 2014, 12:51:06 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on February 28, 2014, 10:16:26 AM

Not even close.  Note particularly the 1, 2 and 3, and then compare to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Alphabets.pdf , page 24.

I think that's a real-time image, not one saved from years ago when it was first posted.  I think they've changed the font in their forecast software since that was first posted.   That's why when I posted an example from the Weather Channel on the first page of this thread, it was of this "snip" I took of one of their maps - they still do use the same HG style typeface in their temperature maps, but that easily could change at any time. This is that example I posted 3+ years ago:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.trainorders.com%2Fandroid%2Fmisc%2FWeatherChannelTempsMapExample.jpg&hash=295d4018d2caa14d4c520853d01e89c8c9583742)


Compared to this much older image I just came across in my files that I took a sreensnap of 8 years ago, definitely not a highway gothic typeface in use back then!

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.trainorders.com%2Fandroid%2Fvw2%2FFeb18COLD.jpg&hash=a4a796eff30e6f7d0bed5539b6207ee89ca22915)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on February 28, 2014, 01:26:23 PM
Quote from: Zeffy on February 28, 2014, 11:05:17 AM
Quote from: SidS1045 on February 28, 2014, 10:16:26 AM
Not even close.  Note particularly the 1, 2 and 3, and then compare to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Alphabets.pdf , page 24.
I think he's referring to the 'BLUSTERY COLD' 'FILTERED SUN'... legends below the pictures of the weather. That looks to be Series E.
It wouldn't look right if they used a different font for that part. Also look at the M in STORM and the G in BRIGHT. Definitely not FHWA Series. I would identify it as Gotham (http://www.typography.com/fonts/gotham/overview/).
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: SidS1045 on March 01, 2014, 02:47:03 PM
Quote from: Zeffy on February 28, 2014, 11:05:17 AM
Quote from: SidS1045 on February 28, 2014, 10:16:26 AM
Not even close.  Note particularly the 1, 2 and 3, and then compare to http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/SHSe/Alphabets.pdf , page 24.

I think he's referring to the 'BLUSTERY COLD' 'FILTERED SUN'... legends below the pictures of the weather. That looks to be Series E.

Where do you see BLUSTERY COLD or FILTERED SUN in the WBZ-TV forecast?
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on March 01, 2014, 03:23:44 PM
Again, as I mentioned above, that is not a static, unchanging image.  The link goes to an image that gets updated regularly.  My guess is it changes at least a couple of times a day.   

I just used the Wayback Machine to get an image of what it looked like back in April 2011... back when they were still using Highway Gothic:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20110430032502im_%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fradar.cbslocal.com%2Fwbz%2FWBZ_7DAY.jpg&hash=2411c494f46ac6a8a9af4d89340799036bc30c55)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on March 01, 2014, 03:54:24 PM
I'd say these are all more likely to be Interstate than the actual FHWA Series, except for the locomotives and probably the Weather Channel one.

Interstate was based on the FHWA Series fonts. FHWA Series was designed for readability on traffic signs (duh), but Interstate was designed for readabillity on print or screen. You can probably see it used in a lot of ads, books or magazines. So it's not likely that they'd use FHWA Series on printed material.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on March 01, 2014, 05:32:03 PM
I've messed with computer fonts for over 10 years and I can usually spot real Highway Gothic glyphs or not. Especially the numbers.  Many of the derivative fonts "inspired" by the FHWA typefaces don't get the numbers right, Interstate is one of them, Blue Highway and Expressway are others.  Of the images posted in this thread, I think only the nutrition facts box I posted looks like Interstate to me. The FURX railroad cars, those are real FHWA glyphs, I see those on a daily basis.

But yeah, I'm sure they didn't use official highway software fonts for these applications, but one of the derivatives out there.  Back when I first got into road sign stuff and wanted fonts with actual FHWA glyphs, I'm not using them for anything commercial and I wasn't going to pay thousands of dollars to get sign designer grade fonts.  I just wanted fonts with the real glyphs, but set up better for use on the computer.   I didn't know then about the Roadgeek fonts, so I started drawing up my own by using samples from the FHWA website.  I was only partway into the first one when I discovered the Roadgeek fonts existed.  And I ended up combining many of the Roadgeek font glyphs into my current project, because I had my kerning, ascender/descender and other font dimensions set up for what I wanted on my computer. And I kept my naming as well, putting it near the top of the alphabet so they are easy to find in a font list. 

Anyway, I like the FHWA numbers. Last year I spotted on eBay someone selling sets of vinyl 4 inch number decals that were very close to FHWA series C.  Except the company that made them has them mis-labeled as Helvetica! But my eye spotted what they really were, and I bought some.  Heck, that made me check, that person must have a whole crate of the things, they still are selling 10 and 20 packs of those numbers!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PACKS-4-INCH-NUMBERS-STICK-ON-VINYL-BLACK-INDOOR-OUTDOOR-NEW-/281271829276?hash=item417d1b831c
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: mjb2002 on March 07, 2014, 03:27:25 PM
I use FHWA Series D for the "Today's News Briefs" vertical logo I use on my blog. I use Series B for the horizontal version, and only if I post a photo.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on March 07, 2014, 03:53:43 PM
Some of the newer TTC subway cars (the T35A08 Toronto Rocket) have Series D on them. I only know of two so far, #5783 and #5803. It uses a darker red too.

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfU6xgHE.jpg&hash=12cd698244c86aadc16e291ae686dd505899083d)

They usually use Helvetica. Sorry for the bad quality on this second one. :ded:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FyLtwMsb.jpg&hash=eee6a5d73cd5d72b9d970f968f9742aad235fbf6)

EDIT: I misidentified this as E. :banghead:
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: KEK Inc. on March 07, 2014, 04:54:02 PM
Soundcloud uses it pretty extensively (here's a road related song that happens to be in my recent likes):
https://soundcloud.com/henry-krinkle/route-94-my-love-henry-krinkle

Looking at the page source, it's actually 'Interstate', which is a knock-off typeface that many magazines and web designers use.
http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/fontbureau/interstate/

Pretty sure another thread is somewhere on this forum with much more content on this topic. 
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on March 07, 2014, 05:00:22 PM
Rule of thumb: if it's not on a road sign, it's probably Interstate. Except if it's on a rail car.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: hotdogPi on March 07, 2014, 05:05:35 PM
Quote from: sammi on March 07, 2014, 05:00:22 PM
Rule of thumb: if it's not on a road sign, it's probably Interstate. Except if it's on a rail car.

How about in the game Portal 2 (seen on first page)?
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: briantroutman on March 07, 2014, 05:16:42 PM
Quote from: sammi on March 07, 2014, 05:00:22 PM
Rule of thumb: if it's not on a road sign, it's probably Interstate. Except if it's on a rail car.

I would modify that rule slightly to say that layouts composed entirely on a computer (such as a print layout, website graphics, TV graphics, etc.) are likely Interstate or some other knock-off, but lettering that is adhered or stenciled manually is likely drawn from FHWA alphabets.

Many adhesive lettering manufacturers (whose products have been widely used by railroads, trucking companies, utility companies, etc.) have long used FHWA letter and number shapes because the full specs are publicly available in the Standard Sign Alphabets guidebook, and they're not protected by any intellectual property restrictions.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: formulanone on March 07, 2014, 06:48:13 PM
Okay, but can we still get excited over them, or do we have to temper our enthusiasm? Close enough, in my opinion.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on March 07, 2014, 07:06:43 PM
Quote from: formulanone on March 07, 2014, 06:48:13 PM
can we still get excited over them
Of course. It's not like it's Arialveticverstesk or anything. :pan:
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: J N Winkler on March 07, 2014, 08:30:35 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on March 07, 2014, 05:16:42 PMMany adhesive lettering manufacturers (whose products have been widely used by railroads, trucking companies, utility companies, etc.) have long used FHWA letter and number shapes because the full specs are publicly available in the Standard Sign Alphabets guidebook, and they're not protected by any intellectual property restrictions.

I wonder if they are also relying on the FAA circular that deals with airfield signing and marking, which specifies Series D for upright signs next to taxiways.  Series D is used for this purpose internationally--it is only recently that I have seen departures such as Britain using Transport for this purpose at one of the London airports (Gatwick?).
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: busman_49 on April 02, 2014, 05:53:31 AM
Chipotle's menu boards use a derivative of this font
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: national highway 1 on April 14, 2014, 06:53:34 AM
Best ever!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.goldenplec.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F04%2FRoute-94-Dublin-Twisted-Pepper.png&hash=f559925fe0156c2142f48a8fa7c1eabde14836f1)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Scott5114 on April 14, 2014, 02:00:56 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on March 07, 2014, 05:16:42 PM
Many adhesive lettering manufacturers (whose products have been widely used by railroads, trucking companies, utility companies, etc.) have long used FHWA letter and number shapes because the full specs are publicly available in the Standard Sign Alphabets guidebook, and they're not protected by any intellectual property restrictions.

Does anyone know where these could be purchased? I've looked around off and on but I'm not sure what the most effective search term would be.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Zeffy on April 14, 2014, 02:32:54 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 14, 2014, 02:00:56 PM
Does anyone know where these could be purchased? I've looked around off and on but I'm not sure what the most effective search term would be.

I googled 'adhesive lettering' and got some results, but then I did 'adhesive lettering stencils highway gothic' and I did get a few pages that had Series B, C, and D available.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on April 14, 2014, 03:53:11 PM
You might try "vinyl highway gothic" as search terms as well.

Also... I mentioned the Series C numbers I found a while back for sale on eBay, which are still available. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PACKS-4-INCH-NUMBERS-STICK-ON-VINYL-BLACK-INDOOR-OUTDOOR-QTY-2/281294056989?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: agentsteel53 on April 14, 2014, 04:06:48 PM
from the auction:

QuoteTHE FONT IS HELVETICA

:banghead:
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Android on April 14, 2014, 05:52:49 PM
Yeah, and if you read my previous post....

Quote from: Android on March 01, 2014, 05:32:03 PM

.... Last year I spotted on eBay someone selling sets of vinyl 4 inch number decals that were very close to FHWA series C.  Except the company that made them has them mis-labeled as Helvetica! But my eye spotted what they really were, and I bought some.  Heck, that made me check, that person must have a whole crate of the things, they still are selling 10 and 20 packs....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PACKS-4-INCH-NUMBERS-STICK-ON-VINYL-BLACK-INDOOR-OUTDOOR-NEW-/281271829276?hash=item417d1b831c
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Pete from Boston on April 14, 2014, 06:00:32 PM
I don't really know from one series to the next, but the number plaques on the Northeast Corridor overhead power gantries in Connecticut seem to be lettered in D or a series close to it.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: getemngo on November 06, 2014, 02:29:22 PM
I think AT&T has moved away from Clearview, but here's an example of it:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn-static.zdnet.com%2Fi%2Fstory%2F60%2F01%2F027548%2Fthe-nation_s-fastest-3g-network-wireless-from-att-formerly-cingular.jpg&hash=b51fdb9ecf9adc6d8bcfe0d0bdeb8411ed9b22f3)


At the Huntsville meet, I noticed a lot of Chevron stations used an FHWA font for their prices, pump numbers, and "Food Mart" signage:

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n600kV3QwPg/VFvKvQvKbKI/AAAAAAAAAI0/ZlC_ZZdp0Y8/s400/IMG_0580.JPG)


And on a bus ad in Grand Rapids:

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DGrvESK6C_w/VFvK07GwtEI/AAAAAAAAAI8/qrle0pByxQY/s400/1027141210.jpg)


And if you go to Entertainment Tonight's website and click on a random article (http://www.etonline.com/news/153492_robert_downey_jr_and_wife_susan_welcome_baby_girl_report/index.html), the headline appears to be a knockoff of Series C, and the article text looks like another FHWA knockoff font.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: PHLBOS on November 06, 2014, 05:16:46 PM
During the first 6 seasons of the TV sitcom, One Day at a Time; Series D numerals were on the apartment doors.

Scroll down (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/27497/one-day-at-a-time-the-complete-first-season/)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on November 06, 2014, 06:49:07 PM
Quote from: getemngo on November 06, 2014, 02:29:22 PM
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n600kV3QwPg/VFvKvQvKbKI/AAAAAAAAAI0/ZlC_ZZdp0Y8/s400/IMG_0580.JPG)  (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DGrvESK6C_w/VFvK07GwtEI/AAAAAAAAAI8/qrle0pByxQY/s400/1027141210.jpg)

And if you go to Entertainment Tonight's website and click on a random article (http://www.etonline.com/news/153492_robert_downey_jr_and_wife_susan_welcome_baby_girl_report/index.html), the headline appears to be a knockoff of Series C, and the article text looks like another FHWA knockoff font.

These are all the same font Interstate. On the news article the heading font's CSS style even says font-family: "Interstate Condensed Bold";. It isn't as noticeable on the first image though.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: SignGeek101 on November 06, 2014, 10:58:18 PM
I use Series D for my school assignments all the time. I don't know if it's my signgeeking getting in the way, but I don't like the way Arial or Times New Roman looks on anything anymore. Series D or Clearview 5W just looks neat and clean on assignments IMO.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: busman_49 on November 07, 2014, 09:12:12 AM
Quote from: SignGeek101 on November 06, 2014, 10:58:18 PM
I use Series D for my school assignments all the time. I don't know if it's my signgeeking getting in the way, but I don't like the way Arial or Times New Roman looks on anything anymore. Series D or Clearview 5W just looks neat and clean on assignments IMO.

On my old computer, I had Blue Highway set as the default font on Word (this was before the Roadgeek fonts came out)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: route17fan on November 23, 2014, 02:29:02 PM
Quote from: busman_49 on November 07, 2014, 09:12:12 AM
Quote from: SignGeek101 on November 06, 2014, 10:58:18 PM
I use Series D for my school assignments all the time. I don't know if it's my signgeeking getting in the way, but I don't like the way Arial or Times New Roman looks on anything anymore. Series D or Clearview 5W just looks neat and clean on assignments IMO.

On my old computer, I had Blue Highway set as the default font on Word (this was before the Roadgeek fonts came out)

I had Blue Highway set also!  :-D
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 06:14:38 PM
Zipcar uses either a FHWA font or something very similar for its primary marketing copy.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: sammi on November 23, 2014, 07:24:30 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 06:14:38 PM
Zipcar uses either a FHWA font or something very similar for its primary marketing copy.

I see a DIN 1451 font (FF DIN?) instead.
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: busman_49 on March 10, 2015, 09:35:59 AM
Interstate/Series E:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/16152542344_2f3791f28a_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qBm16o)Kettering Health ER, Franklin, OH (a) (https://flic.kr/p/qBm16o) by Ryan busman_49 (https://www.flickr.com/people/23731450@N05/), on Flickr
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8719/16588706089_1028280ee3_n.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rgTsnX)Kettering Health ER (b) (https://flic.kr/p/rgTsnX) by Ryan busman_49 (https://www.flickr.com/people/23731450@N05/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: Scott5114 on April 22, 2015, 03:01:19 AM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FhXSQfjm.jpg&hash=3420eb978664f6b8420a5a9cba31d42685da1584)
US-377/SH-99, Ada, Oklahoma (from GSV)
Title: Re: Off-highway uses of FHWA Series D
Post by: 6a on April 22, 2015, 01:30:46 PM
I can never tell what series is what, but how about some button copy?

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F15%2F04%2F22%2F5dd14c599ceba4bbb4498cfd1f2a7a5e.jpg&hash=076e0d267599b0bfcb3d636352a0fcb90b4a9d7c)