Milwaukee Road Hiawatha steam loco question

[Rafferty]

hi, what is the latest a streamlined steam team engined Hiawatha train could have run, I'm wanting to build an HO scale Hiawatha and have a Rivarossi set, but wonder if the current Walthers cars could also be used if they existed in that time periods -1950s TIA

[bobbygreg]

In THE HIAWATHA STORY by Jim Scribbins it looks like the 4-4-2 and 4-6-4 engines were retired in 1951. Two 4-6-2 engines were retired in 1954.  So depending on wheel arrangement  1954 would be the latest.  

[wjstix]

Keep in mind that although Milwaukee streamlined steam lasted into the fifties, they were being used on secondary passenger trains then, not the Hiawatha. Once the Hudson / Baltics came along c.1940, I would think you'd rarely see a 4-4-2 on a Hiawatha - the trains had gotten too long!! I believe the Hi and the Olympian Hi were dieselized around 1948.

Note too that the Rivarossi passenger cars are slightly incorrect IIRC, they used brown where they should have maroon on the cars and 4-6-4 they produced. They look OK with each other but a car using the correct maroon would show the difference.

[Rafferty]

thanks for the responses, I'm trying to decide whether or not to sell the Rivarossi train to fund other projects and await a more accurate Hiawatha

[wjstix]

Well I've been waiting for 20 years, nothing so far (outside of bra$$ cars) !!

If the Hudson runs good, it wouldn't be hard to touch up the paint on it and the cars. I guess I'd just hang onto the Rivarossi stuff for now, and run it until a better alternative comes along.