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

I have a unit train of UP coalporter cars, and actully renumbered all of them to ahve different road numbers. It took some time, but it really is cool. Something about it that goes visually beyond, that I really like. Also use 3 engines on the point and one on the rear to handle this train.

Its a "nice to have" for me, but not a "have to have."  If repeated numbers are necessary because the product is hard to find, then I will just live with it in that case.

But if I had a diesel and wanted to add an idential model/paint scheme.  I would patiently wait until a different number came up in my looking in ebay, hobby shops, etc.

I am prototypically challenged, but for some reason I do like to have different car numbers?  Probably OCD or something, but I just like the numbers to be different for some reason?  I don't have enough of any one car type/roadname to have to worry about duplicates yet however, and my layout isn't huge so it probably won't ever be a problem for me.

I think the true train operation type folks might notice duplicate numbers, but I doubt the average visitor would notice unless the cars were right next to each other. If the cars were spread out like laidoffsick stated above, the experts might not even notice?

Duplicate car numbers drive me nuts. I dont really have a reason for it other than I find it annoying, even in a unit train... 

I don't think I do in O yet.  But it's not that big a deal to me.  If I can avoid the same number, I will, otherwise it really doesn't matter.  I don't do prototypical operations, so I just get what I like and run it as I want.  They're all toys.

While I prefer to have different road numbers, I'm not going to get rid of my duplicates. Even operating a Card system for deliveries I can come up with a way to split them up. Like a Red paint dot on one of them.

No-one visiting has even noticed the numbers anyway.

I prefer each car has its own unique number, but I realize that is not always possible if a specific type of car is wanted. I've been fortunate that my primary road, the PRR, has many different types of cars available from all the manufacturers. Atlas, in particular, has produced many numbers for their H21, X26, and X29 cars. In fact, the H21 has 22 different numbers in the round herald cars.

I would like to get a unit train of scale sized MS boxcars in the original scheme, but the available numbers are limited (some MTH and Weaver cars). For this I will have to duplicate numbers. I figure I will just keep like numbered cars as far apart as possible and nobody will notice. 

Ron

I want different numbers, for my satisfaction, or my weak little mind is screaming,

"Fake, fake, fake".  It is part of "modeling a railroad".  Now, tinplate collectors I know, who packrat one kind of car, such as say, Marx six inch, have shelves full of cars with the same number.  Down that road, it's unavoidable, but..for operators?

Maybe no numbers? I have a handful of hoppers I painted black and am working at lettering them for N&W. So far I have no numbers on any of them, but rolling along in a train you can't really tell. Besides, most folks that see my trains probably don't even know every piece of rolling stock has it's own number!  LOL

Another thing, what about locos? If you have several of the same loco they are gonna have the same (catalog) number on the cab aren't they?

At the price point for scale cars today, yes.

Depends...

On scale cars, like Atlas Trinity hoppers and tankers, yes.

But one of my favorite trains is my PWC Lehigh Valley coal drag, made entirely of 6436-110 and 6436-100 cars. I like to drag em behind N&W 2200. Awesome sight.

It is not most important for me but still I do not like to have repeat numbers for the same car.  For the most part, visitors do not know the difference.  For operating sessions, I have seen folks put a small colored adhesive dot on a duplicate car so that it can be identified from its twin.

Alan

My 3 unit trains have unique numbers on all cars. Not hard to do with 2-4 manufacturers making basically the same model.. For instance my 40 ft reefers from Atlas Weaver, Lionel and MTH not only have different numbers, but different build dates and slight variations in body and roof colors.  Important to me but my guests never notice 

Extremely important right up to the point where I have to change, or add my own numbers. Then no.

Another thing, what about locos? If you have several of the same loco they are gonna have the same (catalog) number on the cab aren't they?

Nope, that's what decals are for.

For MTH Premier there are usually 3 road numbers offered for all locos. For Lionel Standard O they usually have multiple road numbers for locos under different catalog numbers.

MTH Premier rolling stock is offered in 2 road numbers and some come in 6 car sets as well with usually two 6 car sets available.  I think Lionel standard O only offers 1 road number for rolling stock and some in 2 or 3 car sets, but I'm not as familiar with Lionel so I could be wrong on their rolling stock?

Atlas also offers multiple road numbers in locos and rolling stock.

My understanding of Railking and Lionel traditional is only 1 number available for each item. I don't know much about the other manufacturers or their product lines. 

In a train? nope. Like wheel flanges, I never notice. But on a shelf for display I can understand having different numbers.

All of my engines and all of my rolling stock have different numbers, just the way we like to do it.  ANY WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY !  

Freight cars no, but my ever growing NH caboose collection yes

No