Did the Milwaukee road have Non Beaver tail obs. cars?
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@AZ TIN posted:Did the Milwaukee road have Non Beaver tail obs. cars?
Yes.
Later Hiawathas / Olympian Hiawathas used Sky-Top Lounge observation cars, in the "Rapids" series.
I was just looking through a June, 1954, Official Guide last night, and looked at the Milwaukee Road timetables, as I am contemplating a trip to Idaho next year and wanted to refresh my memory of the MILW route across Idaho. It might be hard to find in the weeds without a few prompts.
Anyway -- relating directly to this topic --I looked at some Hiawatha schedules of that day and noticed that the Midwest Hiawatha [Chicago-Sioux Falls] consist contained a "Beaver Tail Drawing-Room Parlor Car." So, that is where they were assigned in 1954.
The Morning and Afternoon Hiawatha [Chicago-St. Paul-Minneapolis] consists contained "Skytop Lounge Drawing-Room Parlor Cars." The Olympian Hiawatha [Chicago-Seattle-Tacoma] consists included "Pullman Skytop Lounge Sleeping Cars (8 double bedrooms)."
@Number 90 posted:...as I am contemplating a trip to Idaho next year and wanted to refresh my memory of the MILW route across Idaho. It might be hard to find in the weeds without a few prompts.
I suggest you start here: https://www.ridethehiawatha.com/
The ROW is well taken care of and there is a lot to see. Numerous high trestles and tunnels. My wife (then girlfriend) and I rode this in 2010. I like to cycle so we started at the bottom and rode up to the pass. We ended in Montana and turned around and coasted our way down. There are numerous interpretative signs along the way (all viewable at the link above).
I took an interest in railroads of the northwest after a trip to Glacier National Park in 2010. I can only imagine what it was like taking a ride across the country and passing through some of the most spectacular scenery our country has to offer by rail.
Andrew
I was actually in a Skytop car at a shop in West Fargo, ND about 10 years ago. I was driving when I saw a bunch of box cars on the side of a gravel shop lot. The car automatically turned turned into the lot, don't know that happened. I spotted a two axle NP home made switcher when I guy came out and asked what I needed. I told him I was a railfan and saw the cars. He asked me if I wanted to see the Skytop car he was rehabbing for a private owner. WOW!
I wasted an hour looking and asking questions. I can't find the photos I took, darn it.
Dick
Great story Dick.
