The APEX of Art Deco - The 1939 Hiawatha

Minnesota_Jones · Oct 2, 2003

The Milwaukee Road Hiawatha. It was a marvel in it's day. Named for the swift footed famous American Indian of story and song, it did the trip from the Twin Cities to Chicago in only 6 1/2 hours, at speeds well over 100 mph at times. The train first began in 1935, to great reviews and patronage well above the Milwaukee Road's expectations. It's orange and maroon paintscheme was a nice surprise from the drab green of so many other passenger trains of the time. It quickly became the favorite train in the "Twin Cities" corridor over the Burlington Route's Zephyrs or the Chicago and Northwestern's 400. So much so the train's consist of 6 passengers cars expanded to 7 cars and again to 9 cars by 1937 with an upgrade in equipment with 2 full new sets of passenger cars. By 1939, they again upgraded the train's equipment with 6 new Hudson (4-6-4) Style locomotives, and 4 new sets of passenger cars for a morning AND afternoon version of the Hi. No other passenger train around has been upgraded so swiftly as the Hiawatha. It was way ahead of it's time. This time, the whole train was designed front to back by famous Industrial Designer Otto Kuhler.

Here's a couple more pics of the locomotive many feel owns the title "Queen of Steam" - The Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha Hudson's were coal burners, capable of maintaining 100 mph for long lengths of time. An unoffical record recorded one of the 6 at over 124 mph...

I'll cover the passenger cars next.....

Minnesota_Jones · Oct 2, 2003

Part II - The Hiawatha's consist

The consist of the 1939 Hiawatha was the Locomotive and Tender, an express-tap, 4 coaches, diner, 2 parlor cars, and the parlor-observation car (also called a Beaver Tail). Whereas the Locomotives were constructed for the Milwaukee by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) - The Milwaukee Road built all their own passenger cars in their own shops in Milwaukee, WI. Most Railroads of the time purchased or leased their cars from Pullman. Just some of the Art Deco features Otto Kuhler installed on the 1939 Hi were the 7 Horizontal ribs on the outside of the cars, the various porthole windows, and lots of interior design details.

The Express-tap was 1/3 baggage car, 2/3 lounge. Here's a picture and floor plan of the express tap.

Here's two views of the interior of the car at the front of the bar area...

Here's a view of the interior of the train's diner car, look how clean everything is....

Sergei · Oct 2, 2003

Now that is ART DECO!!!

Minnesota_Jones · Oct 2, 2003

Part III - The Hiawatha's consist continued

Probably the most famous of the cars in the consist of the 1939 Hiawatha were the parlor-observation cars. Like their standard parlors, they had two rows of recliners instead of the traditional fare of 2 person seats as the Hiawatha's 4 coaches had. But at the end of the Beaver Tail, the back of the car sloped downward, giving the appearance of the "beaver tail." The rear of the car had two huge windows facing out back with seats and couches FACING the rear window allowing patrons the ability to watch the scenery go away from them at 100+ mph. The moon visors/fins were not just for looks but helped keep the sun out the their faces. Mr. Kuhler hit the jackpot on the beaver tails.

Here's a couple shots inside the car...

Minnesota_Jones · Oct 2, 2003

Part IV - the end

Sadly, the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha is no more. They discontinued service in 1971 when Amtrack started. The cars over the years have been sold off, scrapped, etc. Also, all 6 beautiful Hudson's were scrapped by 1951 when the Railroad was converting their trains from Steam to Diesel. Of the 4 1939 Beaver Tails, only one survives today, The Earling. It was converted to a Storage/Tool Car in the 1950's, loosing much of her appeal. The windows were covered, the interior gutted, and the rear shopped to a standard shape. Fortunately, the Friends of the 261 purchased her and she's now the tool car for excursions they run from time to time. Here she is last year on a run behind Milwaukee Road #261 (one of 3 surviving Steam Locomotives of the Milwaukee). She still has her ribs which reveal her 1939 era Hiawatha origins...

I hope you enjoyed this trip on the Hiawatha, it was fun bringing it all to you!

"Swift of foot was Hiawatha.
He could shoot an arrow from him,
And run forward with such fleetness,
That the arrow fell behind him."

-Longfellow

Bogie1943 · Oct 5, 2003

OH LORD ART DECO OVERLOAD . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . ."Strangers on a Train " anyone?????:cool2:

Minnesota_Jones · Oct 5, 2003

I'm glad you guys liked it. In fact, I liked it so much I decided to create a 1939 Hiawatha Page on my site so I wouldn't loose any of this. I've been adding to the original posts and have added even more pictures and diagrams of all the cars. It's still being worked on, but here it is so far....

http://www.minnesotajones.com/hiawatha_page.htm

When it's done, it should be an entire document devoted to the 1939 Hi.

Minnesota_Jones · Nov 6, 2003

MK, any chance of a piece of Railroading Passenger Prime years in the Golden Era site?

MK · Nov 6, 2003

I have been thinkimg exactly that. The keys on the desk are for the golden era transpertation section. Planes, trains, automobiles and ships.

In fact I have been thinking about you. I have been taking my kids to a place near here called "Travel Town". It is almost all trains of all ages. You really should visit there the next time you are in town.

MK · Dec 29, 2003

Lets make this happen.

I am sending you a PM too about something you will find VEEEEEERY interesting.

Minnesota_Jones · Dec 29, 2003

Excellent!

Wild Root · Jan 10, 2004

Good day Minnesota_Jones! Wild Root here, I just was looking at your photos and such on the 1939 Hiawatha. I am impressed! You really know about that train. That is one that I have seen, but do not know too much about it. I am some what a rail buff my self. Especially those ever so elegant streamliners of the 30?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s and 40?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s!!! The colors and styles used on those trains were very eye catching! One of my favorites is the New York Central 20th Century LTD. The Henry Dryfus streamliner that, wasn?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢t used very long. Do you do any model RR? I have a few Ho steamers that I run at a club in Pasadena Ca. I have had a love of the rails since I was about 4 years old. I also draw them. So, I will add some pictures soon! Take care,

Minnesota_Jones · Jan 10, 2004

Hello! Yup, I'm an O-Gauge 3 Rail Operator (Lionel, K-Line, etc). O-Gauge has grown in leaps and bounds in the past 10 years and now with digital technology and trains sound as impressive as the real thing. Plus when you have a Union Pacific Big Boy that's 18 pounds and 33 inches long, you fall in love with O-Gauge. I've also been into trains my whole life and now have a Lionel layout (still in progress) in the basement and even drag my wife along on Railfan trips (she actually enjoys them).

Yeah, the Dreyfuss is an impressive locomotive. If I wasn't a die-hard Milwaukee Road fan (Midwest born and raised), I'd say the Dreyfuss was the "Queen of Steam."

Here's a link to my Railroading pages on my website - full size trains, O-Gauge, streetcars, etc. I'm still working on shrinking all my pictures to 550 pixels at the most, so some pictures are still pretty big.

http://www.minnesotajones.com/railroading_main.htm

Wild Root · Jan 10, 2004

Is that how you spell Dreyfuss? My spell checker didn't have that name listed so; I took my best stab at spelling it. My mistake.
Any way, there is a guy that I know that has restored two passenger cars from 1949 that hooks them to the end of an Amtrak train to San Diego from Union Station. One of the cars is a NYC that he is going to pant in SP Daylight colors. The other was a PRR that I?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢m sure he?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s going to change to SP as well. The NYC car is named the Overland Trail and is a smooth side car that has real nice tan & chrome deco styling inside! There is even a barber shop in this car. When he has his excursions, he has a friend that owns a barber shop come on board and cut hair. I had my hair cut going about 65mph! He did a swell job. He has his excursions twice to three times a year and the theme is WWII. So, I and some other friends that have WWII uniforms or vintage clothes get to ride free to add atmosphere. I'll get some photos together and I?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢ll post them soon.

Got to go for now?¢‚Ç¨¬¶

MK · Jan 10, 2004

I would like to see those photos.

Andykev · Jan 11, 2004

Trains

If they brought back those vintage trains today, I would spend a month traveling the USA in that smoking car, the observation car, and the sleeper car. If you get a chance to visit Sacramento CA there is a FANTASTIC railroad museum in Old Sacramento. We take the AMTRACK from Martinez to Old Town and walk to the museum...GREAT!! the old Sac area is good too. They have working cars, engines, and train exhibits which are unsurpassed. They have a big big big cab foreward locomotive which went over the Sierra Nevada....you can go on it. The wheels are bigger than the roof of my house!!! Anyone wanna plan a trip?

Wild Root · Jan 11, 2004

Oh my yes! That is what I call a rail road museum! I went there for the first time when I was 7 and loved it! I was up there about 3 years ago visiting family and had a chance to go again. I love that place!!! That cab foreword is the only one in existence!!! So, that right there makes it very rare. They have so much grate stuff there! I remember walking under their 0-4-0 switcher that they take out and I was all dressed up in my vintage suit and fedora. I was looking at how dirty it was then, I remembered that it was a steam engine and they are the most oiliest and dirty locos around. So, I was lucky to find that nothing had dropped on my nice light tope late 30?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s Mallory! Ahhhh spared! I love steam most of all, but they sure are dirty.

I hope to return there some day when I have the cash and a car that would make it. I live around Pasadena so, it?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s a bit of a drive.

That?¢‚Ç¨‚Ñ¢s all for me, good night,

Minnesota_Jones · Jan 18, 2004

We hit the Sacramento Museum last summer on our "roadtrip to the QM" on our way home. I've been to other railroad musuems with more equipment, but none are as well thought out and well displayed. Plus the equipment there was all pristine in condition. I was in awe that day. Needless to say that day we were at the musuem we also had to keep driving up to Salem Oregon that night for our next stop. Because I took so much time at that museum we didn't get to Salem until about 1:00 in the morning! Ha! It's truly in the top 5 railroad museums around.

Wild Root, I'd love to see some of those pics too! Here's a couple pics we took on the Burlington Pioneer Zephyr at the Chicago Museum of Sci & Industry last November...

Wild Root · Jan 18, 2004

Wow! Those are some nice pictures. The Zepher is one of the only non steam streamliners that I would like to see. I would love to post some photos and some of my art work, but I'm not able to post any photos right now. Say, if you want, I can e-mail them to ya. Just send my an e-mail at platterplayer78@yahoo.com and I can send you some cool stuff.

Take it e-z Minnesota,

Rob.

android · Dec 10, 2004

Hallmark has Lionell train Christmas ornaments and the Hiawatha is this years release. You can get the locomotive, tender and the observation car.

The APEX of Art Deco - The 1939 Hiawatha

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