Pronunciations

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Okay, here comes the latest in my line of astoundingly stupid questions.

How does one pronouce mikado? Mih-KAY-doe? Mih-KAH-doe? MYK-ah-doe? After thirty years dabbling in this hobby I’ve never actually heard this word pronouced.

Same goes for gondola. To me it’s always been GON-doe-lah, but Mr Grivno pronounces it gon-DOE-lah. I hardly need to point out that Cody is no fool, thus I’m the one that’s likely wrong. Or is this just a regional difference, the horrible result of my being from Western Canada (how’s it goin’, eh?)

Stu

2

Rasta,

For the former, it’s Mih-KAH-doe - as in Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado”. For the latter, I’ve always pronounced it gon-DOE-lah. A GON-doe-lah I’ve always reserved for a enclosed lifts that take you up a mountain or the long boats in Venice.

And, when it comes to the manufacturer, Kato, just remove the “Mih” from Mikado and you have the correct pronunciation. [:D]

Tom

3

Haven’t we beaten this dead horse before?

Actually, the only valid way to pronounce mikado is two-eight-two. If you call a D50, D51 or D52 a mikado in Japan all you will get is either a stupid look or a, “Are you really that stupid?” look. The name originated at the Baldwin Locomotive works, probably plagiarized from the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta of that name.

As for Kato, it’s kah (Bostonian for automobile) toe (that thing at the front of your foot.)

Tom was right on for the American usage of the name for that open-top car with sides and a flat floor. I personally identify it as To - usually with another katakana dipthong if its capacity exceeds 10 tons. To is the type identifier for a gon, usually with drop sides.

Chuck (Japanophone modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

4

For the 2-8-2, I have always heard ‘Mih-KAD-doe’

For a gondola, I think either is correct - It’s sort of a regional thing. Cody is just bringing his native ‘Minnesotan’ to bear! Actually he has a little North Dakota border twang in there…

Jim

5

Respectfully, I’ll trust Inspector Clouseau on this one, so if he calls his oriental sidekick…, then the locomotive manufacturer goes by the name of… Yup, that’s right. [swg]

Kidding aside, it is pronounced CAW-toe.

6

When I worked in Kansas they pronounced gondola as “coal car”.

7

While we are on the subject, how do you pronounce rastafarr? [:-,]

Rich

8

Potato …tomato…does it really matter?[:^)]

9

The first one is “mike”, the second one is “gon”.

Used thusly “Fred take the Mike over to the shed and pick up that Gon.”

[(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D]

Paul

10

When I worked on the railroad a gondola was “gon” nothing fancy.

When working on the PRR I heard exsteam engineers refer to 2-8-2s as L class.On the Chessie(C&O) it was a K class…

Maybe we modelers need to learn real railroad speak…

11

I thought Fred just rode on the back.[:-^]

12

Here on the ATLANTIC CENTRAL, Mih-KAH-doe is “Class MA - MacArthur”.

We don’t have Mikados any more than the C&O had “Northerns” or “Berkshires”.

Sheldon

13

How 'bout Tehachapi Loop or Starrucca Viaduct?

Jim

14

it all depends upon the context. for example, the redding is the railroad in pennsylvania bur it becomes the reeding when you are playing monopoly.

charlie

15

The Berks was name after a river-the Kanawha in W.Va…The Northerns was “Greenbriers” or in railroad speak the 2-8-4s was a K class while the Northerns was J class…

16

As fate would have it, we are very familiar with C&O power as the C&O interchanges with, and has several trackage rights arrangements with the ATLANTIC CENTRAL.

The ATLANTIC CENTRAL does not have any 2-8-4’s, instead we had LIMA build us very large 2-8-2’s that share many features with the C&O K class.

Sheldon

17

Is that LYEma, or LEEma?

18

All I know is that Rio Grande is pronounced “Rio Gran.” [:^)]

19

LIMA Ohio, and the LIMA locomotive works once located there, are pronounced LYEma, like the bean.

Just call city hall there and see what they say.

Sheldon

20

Gidday All, I really shouldn’t do this but to us from “Down Under” all you good people mangle “The Queens English.”[(-D][(-D][(-D]

Cheers, the Bear.