General Electric couldn’t afford a spell checker?

[y_p_w]

I’ve seen a bunch of these builders plates up close and personal when riding Amtrak, but I didn’t notice this big honking spelling error until now. And I found other samples and others (but not all) have “Maintinace Instructions”. Saw it also on some P40DC and Dash-8 builders plates. I guess they were saving money since the i is smaller than an e and they even saved on the costs of printing an n.

 

[4WD]

They probably imported the decals that say made in PA

 

[Dave Hess]

GE is a very old ‘has been’ company from the past….

 

[Astro14]

They probably imported the decals that say made in PA

Doubt it was imported, one only has to look at the spelling on BITOG, and we have the benefit of spell check which didn’t exist when these locomotives were built.

 

[4WD]

Doubt it was imported, one only has to look at the spelling on BITOG, and we have the benefit of spell check which didn’t exist when these locomotives were built.

Jan 2001

 

[PF52]

And I found other samples and others (but not all) have “Maintinace Instructions”. Saw it also on some P40DC and Dash-8 builders plates.

So some of them have it spelled correctly? That is too funny. Makes me wonder if each one is typed up one at a time or printed in batches (since those were delivered over the course of several orders).

 

[oldgrayman]

GE is a very old ‘has been’ company from the past….

Not a " has been " by any means .

 

[RedSpider]

GE is a very old ‘has been’ company from the past….

Wut? Ignorant statement, at best. I dont work for them, but I do work with them, and next week will be flying down south to spend three days in one of their engine shops working on an HPT for a 747. If you saw what goes on inside their facilities the last thing you'd say is that they are "has beens". From their own engines, to the CFM's they build in conjunction with Safran, they have over 50% of the engine market. Pratt and Rolls are a very distant 2nd and 3rd. Hardly a 'has been' company.

 

[y_p_w]

Not a " has been " by any means .

It’s been split up and sold off though. Transportation was sold to Wabtec and healthcare was spun off. They don’t have a single consumer product any more.

 

[dogememe]

The number of products on the shelf where the packaging has obvious typos or spelling errors is just insane.

 

[proveitwithdata]

Probably cost cutting. Who will look at these plates anyways? was the board meeting conclusion

 

[Blueshound]

I’ve seen a bunch of these builders plates up close and personal when riding Amtrak,

Not to nitpick but shouldn't it be "builder's plates" or "builders' plates" with an apostrophe?

 

[y_p_w]

They probably imported the decals that say made in PA

Builders plates on much older ones say made in Schenectady. Mostly on the collectors market or in museums.

This one just leaves out maintenance instructions altogether. But it’s a Dash-8 using a Genesis blank plate.

This one was delivered to VIA Rail in Canada. They must have insisted on proper spelling, and I guess selling to Canada means they’re worldwide.

 

[dishdude]

GE is a very old ‘has been’ company from the past….

I thought you worked for GE?

 

[PF52]

Builders plates on much older ones say made in Schenectady. Mostly on the collectors market or in museums.

Or La Grange IL USA (technically, in next-door McCook). But I am just muddying the waters since McCook was arch rival GM EMD division.

 

[y_p_w]

Or La Grange IL USA (technically, in next-door McCook). But I am just muddying the waters since McCook was arch rival GM EMD division.

I think the Schenectady location was due to their partnership with American Locomotive, even though that’s coincidentally where GE Power was located. GE made the electrical systems for their diesel-electric locomotives, although my reading is that the partnership soured after a poor attempt at making a gas turbine locomotive.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Jan 2001

I got fired from GE around that time, for spelling errors. Sorry guys! j/k

 

[PF52]

I think the Schenectady location was due to their partnership with American Locomotive, even though that’s coincidentally where GE Power was located. GE made the electrical systems for their diesel-electric locomotives, although my reading is that the partnership soured after a poor attempt at making a gas turbine locomotive.

Sounds right. Schenectady was home to both Alco (which was a long time builder of steam locomotives) and also GE's headquarters which eventually moved to Boston or wherever it is they are now. GE had a bunch of facilities in Schenectady but the locomotives were built in Erie.

Interestingly, my dad worked for GE in Cincinnati and Chicago but any time he got mail from the company, it was always postmarked Schenectady NY.

 

[Hall]

The number of products on the shelf where the packaging has obvious typos or spelling errors is just insane.

With most companies, that is 100% inexcusable and shameful. The number of people who review, approve, etc these things at multiple steps along the way can seem crazy and things like this should never get missed. Even when it goes to the place that physically does the printing, they'll do "proof" versions which get checked again before going into full production.

 

[y_p_w]

The number of products on the shelf where the packaging has obvious typos or spelling errors is just insane.

Depends. A lot of stuff out of China has numerous spelling errors or awkward grammar. But pretty much any label or manual from a large Japanese or Korean company is going to be at least proofread by someone who is a native English speaker.