1951 NYS&W Budd coaches - Why No Air Conditioning?

NYS&W took delivery of a number of 133 seat Budd stainless steel commuter coaches in 1951, all of which appear to have small, drop opening windows. This is the only instance I can find of a domestic order for Budd equipment without air conditioning, although there might have been an export order or two, perhaps to Brazil. Budd equipment was relatively expensive even for the era, hence the relatively few orders for commuter equipment, and it seems puzzling that any railroad would go to such great expense only to dispense with air conditioning, even in a commuter car?

Why did the NYS&W order non-airconditioned equipment, because even the RDCs all hard air conditioning installed to the best of my knowledge?

As I recollect, the cars were later sold off after only several years of service. Who took delivery of the former NYS&W coaches and what was their final disposition?

My apologies if this question is out of place in this forum, but since it pertained to rolling stock, and the Susquehanna forum typically deals with the modern railroad, I though it was appropriate to put it here?

1951?

Any one here know when air-conditioned coaches became usual? I get the impression it was later than that.

Passenger wrote:1951?

Any one here know when air-conditioned coaches became usual? I get the impression it was later than that.

The 1958 PRR/ Budd Pioneer III coaches ( Silverliner Prototypes) were air conditioned.

The first production a/c coaches were 1934-35, the New Haven's 200 "American Flyer" cars. First a/c rail car was a B&O diner, a/c'd in 1930. The first cars to be converted to a/c in the early 30s were first class cars-- diners, lounge & observations, Pullman sleepers, etc. Many coaches were a/c'd then as well-- it was a great selling point for passengers, kept the smoke & cinders out and you had a cool, clean ride in summer. Any streamlined cars, pre-war, were built w/ a/c (except the NYSW Budds!!).

The NYSW Budds were non-a/c because the NYSW was cheap. And they probably expected to shut down the passenger service soon enough. The RDCs only came one way-- with a/c. Budd would have charged more to build one w/o a/c.