It's been years since I bought my Hiawatha from Overland, but it's time to breath life into her. I'm new to this end of the hobby, so forgive my ignorance. I've seen what might be two sets of the passenger cars with full interiors, where did they get them?? Mine came with plastic seats, but nothing else. Also, I think the locomotive wings could be improved upon, any source for those, cab number decals, ect??
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First, identifying the engine type and variation to us would help with accurate suggestions as to which passenger cars match it. I have the OMI class A Atlantic #3, and assume they also produced models of the 2 earlier class A's, which differ in some details. Or yours might be Overland's model of the F7 Hudson, pictured in the sporty paint job topic. Maybe they also produced a later F7, like the Weaver version I own, that has a Mars light installed. Or is it diesel power? Hiawatha covered a wide range of motive power and equipment but my knowledge of Overland offerings is limited.
If period specific modelling is important, then a set of postwar Hi cars with a SkyTop observation would never have been seen being pulled by a class A, and very rarely by an F7, even though all were in operation in the late 40's. As newer equipment was put into operation, older Hiawatha sets were often used as second sections, and later relegated to other lines on the road. The first generation cars with Beaver Tail observations varied in design also...no ribs, 2 ribs, multiple ribs and skirting, along with 4 distinct observation rear window/tail layouts.
Bruce
Boy am I embarrassed. The engine is a class A, number 1. The observation is a first generation with no ribs. Any more info needed? Thanks for any help or questions.
That narrows it down perfectly.
Hopefully someone with knowledge of those full interiors comes forward. There's enough literature and photographic documentation, from Beaver Tail to the Tip Top Tap, to fashion your own interiors out of brass if nothing commercial is available. With the wealth of wood used in the real cars I have thought it the best material to form the base for a detailed Hiawatha interior.
The separately applied wings appear to be made from etched or CNC'd stainless steel and don't exactly match the size of the clam shell doors. My #3 arrived without opening doors ( soldered shut ) so the wings are not cut at the hinge side.
Decals or transfers of that font in gold are relatively common and available.
Bruce
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