Hello All
I noticed today that my Bachman Grain Hopper has 2 different spellings for Canadian National. On one side it's spelled "Canadian" and on the other side it's spelled "Canadien"
Is this correct to the prototype or is it an oops?
Here's a link to the products page showing what I think is the incorrect side
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=1807
I searched for about a half hour in Google and have not found any reference to the company going by that spelling.
Thanks
It's correct.
The Canadien spelling is the Canadian French spelling because Canada is bilingual
mudhen
There is a bit more information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_National_Railway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_National_Railway)
The original company name was "Canadian National Railways Company" and never had a French version. It would have been something like "Société des Chemins de Fer Nationale Canadienne" if it did.
CN modernized their image in the 1960s. Along with using the CN noodle symbol they started calling themselves "Canadian National/Canadien National" thereby alienating English speakers, French speakers, and railroad affectionados all at once.
If my memory serves me, the CN started putting the French spelling on one side and the English spelling on the other. Maybe there is a law. Perhaps a Canadian reader can enlighten us.
Wasn't there a movie with John Candy where Americans invade Canada and get stopped by a policeman because the graffiti on the truck was only written in English?
This reminded me of a club I visited where I watched a long Tropicana train go whizzing by - about 25 white cars. I didn't see the train again but I did see a PFE train on the return trip. The owner had decaled the cars with two different sides. There are people out there who do that - it makes visitors think you have tons of rolling stock.
A bit off topic but I remember listening to Montreal Expos games on the radio late at night. I loved it when they would use "au baton" instead of "at bat."
I did that on my 2-10-2 and it created a few problems when operating in a large group, so I wouldn't recommend giving motive power 2 different numbers... ;)
If you did the spelling , English on one side, French on the other, of a steam locomotive 2-10-2 , you would be absolutely wrong because Canadian National Railways steam loco's never, never ever had French writing on a tender monogram. If you put the number of your engine on this board I wll try to find you a picture of it.
Mudhen
Hey cool, another fun-fact! ;D
No, it had 6701 on one side, and 2345 on the other side... Of course after it made it around the reversing module, no one knew where B&M 6701 was, only B&M 2345...