Only if,...

I was still planning to model Amtrak passenger service. Then I would, and probably only then just the superliners.

Charlie

"do any of you intentional

  I often weather and add tag the two sides of cars differently to represent different eras so I can model a wider range of time....DaveB 

One clever fellow in Portland

One clever fellow in Portland OR built a pair of boxcars, labeled for one local club on one side, and another local club on the opposite. He then surreptitiously turned them loose, one on each layout. Took a while to find the cars, but not long at all to find the perpetrator.

there's a prototype...

A CPR 348--- series Hart gon was delivered to South Porcupine (late 1970s) for nickel concentrate loading with different numbers on each side.  I think we sent it back to North bay empty so CP could deal with it.

Any other real-life examples?

David

The late John Allen did!

It was his way of getting to different road numbers and reporting marks.  His assumption is that you really only see one side of the car at a time!  And he was also a proponent of not modeling what can't be seen!  So YES!  2 cars in one!

Runners vs Operators

I certainly don't. I also enjoy operations, and if the car is ever turned, or the track loops such that the other side is ever visible it totally screws any car forwarding system if the car no longer matches the card or switch list.

Yes. I have done it for a

Yes. I have done it for a caboose and a steel box car and I still use them.

It would be nice to see some examples of two cars in one, kh25. Perhaps you can start a new post/thread requesting images of two cars in one?

I have not but I have seen

I have not but I have seen Candian Pacific Wheat Gondolas from Bachmann come that way from the factory. Not different road numbers but this giant Canadian Pacific in script is not on the other side... 

Covered Hopper

Pugatch: that's a covered hopper. A gondola is an open-topped car with a floor and low or high sides.

Prototype variations

There are cars that may have different lettering on each side when it comes down to the specific logos or graphics - CN famously lettered the road name in English (Canadian National) and French (Canadien National) on opposite sides, and there was a series of eye-catching promotional cars in the early 1970s with splashy graphics on one side and the opposite side was in the normal colours/graphics.

But a car only has one identity. Unless the paint shop had an off day.

The missing script on the opposite side of the Bachmann hopper would simply be a production error though. It's an old train set car that's not accurate.

Chris, I should know

Chris, I should know better... We need MRH moderators to prevent me from posting before I have my first cup of coffee...

A friend did it with buildings

He had a layout in his attic (over the garage), so he was dodging rafters. To make it look bigger, he put buildings on a 45 degree angle and painted the back differently from the front. A strategic mirror made the scene look bigger and different.

Coffee

LOL.

How about a Blood Caffeine Content (BCC) recording device interlocked with the computer power button to make sure you're fit to use the internet in the morning. That would probably help a lot of people.

I will start looking into

I will start looking into Raspberry Pi projects for this :-P

Different markings on each side of a freight car

This would be most effective if the configuration of your layout is such that only one side of the car is visible.

Wisconsin and Southern