Is it important to you to have unique numbers on all your cars?

It's nice to have different numbers, but I do not consider it important at all. My coal train only has 3 different car numbers in total. 

As far as I'm concerned, anyone visiting who  complains about this can go and play trains somewhere else. 

No, I have 2814 on all my Tinplate Box Cars.

No for me as well.    I can't even tell you what numbers are on any of my rolling stock.

Oh My Gosh - My cars have numbers?

 

Pete

Not important to me.  I have accumulated 57 MTH Premier freight cars and only one duplicate in the bunch.  The duplicate was part of a batch I bought at a train show for a decent price.  Now I'm thinking about trading off the odd fallen flag road names and concentrating on Union Pacific since all three of my locomotives are UP.

I'm a little surprised at how strong some of the negative feelings are.  

 

I haven't tried it, but it seems like it should be fairly easy to add a number at the end of a string of numbers if you can get the correct size, type, and color.  Or another option might be to paint a colored patch over the existing numbers and repaint or decal over it.  I have seen that done on real cars.

 

Art

 

Yup ... its important to me. 

 

I like to be up-close to my yards/industries ... so I guess its more noticeable to me.

 

And, we don't have the very large layout and trains that many other folks have. Its been manageable with Lionel, Atlas, Weaver and the auction site. So far.

 

I wish there was a way for unrelated modelers to come together to get custom runs done from Weaver, etc

 

Jim

Yes, I prefer unique numbers with my scale rolling stock.  It actually stands out like a sore thumb to me.  I only have 2 cars with duplicate numbers, and they are an Atlas O and a Lionel silver PFE car.  The Lionel car I'm planning to sell.

Not for me.

That's how I feel about it, too.

 

Yup ... its important to me. 

I too prefer different numbers. I have a collection of various Weaver cars from the past six years, some are three number sets and some are six numbers. Another six car set will be produced this fall. All my other rolling stock and locomotives from various makers are single units, therefore no duplicates in my collection yet!

Don

It is an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY!!!

 

The cars are routed to their individual destinations.   If 2 cars have the same number, how does the guy running the train know which one to set out at the destination?   

 

How could you possibly operate without individual car numbers?

 Doesn't bother me a bit, if I like the car I might buy several. But I do have 60 K-line Santa Fe ore cars that I gave consecutive numbers to.

 Yes....well, sure.... definitely! when I can....or not?

So here's the problem for me. The more I learn about trains, the more accuracy becomes important. I remember seeing a smaller scale club RR years ago, with a very long unit coal train running and the guy bragged about having different numbers on all the cars. Hmmm. Seemed a little boring at the time.

 When I first went into O scale, I asked a dealer what the difference was between 2 two rail trucks by MTH. They had two different models and I couldn't see a difference in the store looking at the catalog. The dealer couldn't describe any difference? So I knew there must be some reason to have two model #s. Finally I spotted Bettendorf or roller bearing? So I had to learn what in the world they were talking about.

 I like modern equipment. It must have roller bearings now on modern cars. So yes, I too must have different car numbers now..... butttt..... I still buy duplicates, with the intention of renumbering down the road.

Interesting variety of attitudes.  For me, my cars must have different numbers if they are part of the same series and RR identity.  I'm sure that none of my visitors have ever checked to see that my cars all have their own numbers.  But it matters to me.   

 

Many manufacturers offer varying car numbers within  one series.  I think that this is great and helps me keep my numbers unique.  I've always intended to operate my railroad with car orders but that has just not happened to date.  But the individual car numbers would make train order operation possible.

 

Paul Fischer

I very much prefer different numbers but not absolutely necessary if I like a particular car.

 

But with that said I recall a fellow forum member's story from some time ago.  He was showing off his trains to some non-toy train friends.  After a while of running the trains the friends young lad asked him why do some cars have the same number. So I guess just maybe it does matter.

 

Ron

Too late to matter, as I accumulated most of my freight rolling stock before different numbers were made available.  Early preference for a more obvious touch of realism did me in.

I prefer to have unique car numbers, but I'm not fanatical about it. If I want two of a particular car and it only comes in one number, that won't keep me from buying two. Sometimes I get around to renumbering duplicates, more often not. It's actually a pretty big hassle to change one digit - you have to remove enough of the old one that it won't show, then find a decal or transfer with the right size and font, get it positioned perfectly, then clear coat it without messing up the original paint job. Once in a while you can get away with changing a number with a paintbrush or fine marker, like a 1 to a 4, but that isn't easy either, especially for someone of my (very) limited artistic talent. (Sidebar - years ago I caught an employee of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi ripping off petty cash by changing the numbers on receipts, like a 1 to a 4. He wasn't hard to catch since he neglected to use the same color ink as the original receipt.)

 

I like Weaver and MTH for making a variety of different car numbers available. MTH makes all their Premier cars with two numbers, plus six or twelve more if they are offering sets. I have a whole bunch of MTH Milwaukee Road reefers with different numbers, plus a few duplicates. It isn't well known, but Weaver also does a variety of numbers - usually six for each car, if I remember correctly. I believe Lionel has also started to offer different numbers on some of their high-end scale-size cars. Atlas has always offered most of their cars with two or more numbers, except in cases where there was only one prototype. 

My passenger cars all have unique numbers, but not the freight cars. Weathering and dirt help hide numbers. Running long coal trains it's hard to have different numbers, unless you re numbering them yourself. Maybe one day I'll have time, but not yet!

 

When possible, I do seek out unique numbered cars.  If I can only find one road number, then I have no problem purchasing multiple cars with the same number.  In fact, I just pre-ordered five of the Lionel PS-4 flats with piggyback trailers in Lionel Lines...all with the same number.  My Tropicana Juice Train has a few repeat car numbers.

I try to have different numbers whenever possible.   It's my OCD rearing it's ugly head. 

-Greg

I prefer different car numbers, but it doesn't bother me overly much if I have a few of the same road number.  I'll get around to renumbering them someday.

Yes, but it won't kill me if I have a dupe or two in the train.

If you are going to be concerned about those kinds of details, maybe you should go two-rail ... ? 

No…I’m not that fussy with my Rolling Stock, but, Engines would be a different story.


K.C.

2 Rail yes, 3 Rail no. First case I'm looking for realism, second case not.

 

Simon

not important.

Ill have many of the same cars

all the same numbers.

Run em fast and furious!!

 For Legacy/TMCC engines I use the first two digits of the engine number for remote ID #. As far as freight cars, it would be nice to have 10 Milwaukee Road PS-1 boxcars with 10 different numbers but it's not necessary.

Yes very

 

I am doing realistic movements using a basic car/card system.  

It is, but I haven't done anything about the existing fleet to this point.  There are too many other higher priority items demanding my attention.

 

I certainly want all my engines to have different numbers, and in fact, I want the engines to be numbered accurately - with those numbers that actually ran on the Panhandle.  I'm fortunate in that Lionel's M1a #6759 actually did - no renumbering required.  But the others, K4s, B6sb, L1s will have to be changed.

 

As for cars?  Hmmm, maybe.  I certainly buy cabin cars with unique numbers already.  I have some H21a's and H22's with unique numbers.  Other cars will need to be renumbered.  Again, this is a much lower priority for me.

 

George

There are more people using the car card system for realistic operating sessions than I would have thought in 3-rail.  I know it is big in 2-rail.  It seems like the electro couplers on engines and uncoupling tracks for cars would facilitate operations.  I hope to find out soon.

 

Art 

Chugman;

That is why I keep requesting a DCS module to add to most cars:

It only needs a settable ID # and a protocoupler.

Use the totally ignored AUX button and it should give us at least 99 valid ID's.

This would allow you to make any car uncouple anywhere on the layout.

Awesome for operations and lots of sidings.

One of my favorite trains to run is the postwar ABA Santa Fe with 2343. (Both engines labeled 2343?)  Then about 8 or 10 2530/1/2/3/4 series passenger cars with not only the same numbers, but the same names!  So, in no way does it bother me.

Not at all important.  Trains are for running.  Besides, with two cataract operations on the horizon, car numbers are, well, ....rather blurry. 

 

Come to think of it, I never look at car numbers while waiting for a 1:1 passing train at a grade crossing, either.

 

Several of our (LHS) customers are really into the operations 'thing'.  They're all HO modelers.  At my age and with my sight, having to read HO car numbers for a night of 'operations' would be akin to model railroad water-boarding.   UNCLE!

 

The topic reminds me of a York meet several years ago.  My wife, also very much into the hobby and it's idiosyncrosies, encountered a vendor selling coffee mugs painted in different logos, etc..  Knowing my interest in Santa Fe she spied a mug decorated like the side of an old Santa Fe refrigerator car, which included the car number.  She said to the very talkative and bubbly vendor, "This is really nice!  But, do you have any others in different car numbers to make a set?" (She wasn't serious, of course.)  I thought the guy was going to split a gut laughing at the idea.  I remember he gave her a nice discount for the humor!

 

I like some form of unique ID for operations.  Placing the first available boxcar on a siding isn't the same as placing a particular boxcar.  It gives the conductor (me) something to yell about to the yardmaster (also me).  Now unique ID can be nothing more than NH versus NYC.

 

Jan

 

 

Russell - That is an interesting suggestion.  I wonder if there is any chance of it happening?

 

dkdkrd - I can relate to the failing eyesight problem, but maybe we can associate ourselves with younger conductors and be engineers?  Let them read the car numbers and decide where they need to go?

 

Your wife's comments on the mugs is pretty funny.

 

Art

No it is not, When trains are running I don't stop to look at the car numbers. I am enjoying running my trains and if I have 5 tank cars with the same number who cares!  My trains and layout are for enjoyment I do not count rivers either.

Rich in NH

 

I wonder how many rivers you actually have on your layout?

If you have more than one, does that mean you are not a main-stream modeler?