Single window coaches?

[Joetrain59]

Didn't someone announce single window coaches a while back? MTL?
 I have to ask, why was everyone wishing for such cars? Any historical info would be cool.
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[Chris333]

I believe they were only released in the scheme of a carrot. The run was limited to just one. It was tied to a stick with a piece of string and dangled in front of us. No word on the next run.

[Joetrain59]

Thanks for the laugh!
 Joe D

[OldEastRR]

However Chris333 was right -- an olive-drab carrot.

[CBQ Fan]

MT just announced one in their upcoming runner pack if I am not mistaken. Only significance I know of is prototype accuracy to a specific railroad.

[thomasjmdavis]

Joe,
Just in case you meant the question seriously.....

Going back to wooden cars of the 19th century, there were two basic designs for windows (and structural framing) for coaches.  In a "single window" coach, there is structural framework between each separate window.  In a "paired window" coach, there are two windows separated by a style (vertical window frame part) between structural framework.  In the heavyweight steel car era, representative cars were the PRR P70  and B&O standard coaches (with paired windows) and the NYC standard coach (single window)- each has 20 windows on each side in the seating area, but in the P70 the windows are in pairs close together separated by wider framing, where on the NYC car, all the windows are equally spaced.  Most roads had variations of one or the other, and many had both.  AT&SF, SP and some others had a variation that used the framework of the paired window, but substituted a large picture window instead, in the case of Santa Fe, ending up with 10 large windows instead of 20 small ones.

Micro-trains has (after 10 years of working on it) announced that they will produce a single window coach to compliment their line of heavyweights.  The easiest way to see the difference is to look at the 2 coaches- one of each type- that will be included in their recently announced NdeM set- https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=3446

In terms of N scale model history- all the injection molded heavyweights have been either paired window (the Lima/MP/etc P70, and the Rivarossi/Atlas/ConCor/Arnold B&O, Micro-trains B&O. Bachmann and Atlas CNW "shorties") or "picture window" (Wheels of Time SP Harriman).    Micro-trains started working on a single window coach early on in their design of heavyweight cars, but the first attempt had tooling issues.  After a delay of several years, they announced a single window, based on a NYC prototype, I think, in their 2017 catalog, but it has been delayed until now.  The NdeM set is the first announcement of the cars for sale (taking pre-orders now for spring).  Many of us have been looking forward to having the car available for several years now, so hopefully MT is rewarded when the cars become available in the coming months.  After 40 years, NYC modelers will be able to have an accurate consist to pull with their Con-Cor Hudsons.  And folks like me who model other roads will have, if not entirely accurate models, a very close stand in for the single window coaches that should be in our consists.

Having the single window available will provide much more accurate models for those modeling NYC, Erie (which did have paired window also- but those were Stilwell designs), L&N and Southern (among many others).  And add variety for the many roads that had examples of both.

[Missaberoad]

Eagarly awaiting the Canadian Pacific version... In a previous thread Joe confirmed that they will make the 6 axle version aswell as the already announced 4 so I'm optimistic... 

[Maletrain]

I just need one single window coach in Erie paint for the early 1950s, because B&O Train #s 21 and 22 ran with one Erie coach amid the B&O paired-window coaches on alternate days.  Since it is going to stick out like a sore thumb in that consist, I want it to look at least close to "right".

[Mark5]

I have to ask, why was everyone wishing for such cars?

Short answer is that many many roads only had single window coaches (never been done in N scale).

Mark

[Joetrain59]

Thanks. I just got the November flyer in order from Hogtrainz. Saw the NdeM set, but glanced right over it.
  And thanks for the historical info. Bring 'em on MTL!
 Joe D