Modeling the Milwaukee Road's beavertail Observation cars
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I can think of no more unique observation car ever having been used by any railroad than the Milwaukee Road's beavertail observation cars.

In 1934 the Milwaukee Road, along with most other railroads in the United States, began efforts to reattract the ever dwindling numbers of passenger customers. The automobile and then the airplane were making steady inroads into the passenger business. Faster speeds, newer accomodations, air conditioning, good food, and style were the primary tools used to effect this change, and it worked.

The Milwaukee Road was instituting thier new high speed express passenger train "The Hiawawtha", to compete in the Chicago-St.Paul-Minneapolis route. They chose fast 4-4-2 Atlantic type locomotives, dressed up with sheet metal designed by Otto Kuhler and a bright new color scheme of maroon and orange. The finishing touch to this train was the beavertail observation cars. They got this name from the distinctive shape of the tail end of the car, which somewhat resembled the tail of a beaver. They were the height of art-deco styling. The cars were built in Milwaukee's own shops to Milwaukee specifications. Partly to save money, and partly to retain some premarket secrecy.

Essentially, three beavertail type observations were built over the years.

Phase one, of the 'Wenonah" type, was smooth sided, smooth tailed, rolling on four-wheeled roller bearing trucks of Milwaukee's own design. This car had a rear window design which reminds us today of the VW Beetle split window, or the forty Ford coupe, although the beavertail observation predates them both. Distictive features, which simply have to be captured in a model include; smooth sides, arched windows, side window spacing, split rear window, smooth rear deck, the distinctive rear horn, marker lights, grab irons at the rear, four wheeled roller bearing trucks and, of course, the forty degree sloped-back car body.

Modeling the 'Phase one' Milwaukee Beavertail

After spending a little time inspecting the various passenger cars available on the market today, by looking in the Walther's catalog, and on the internet. It seemed to me that the Athearn round roofed coach was the most logical starting point. All the streamliners had the wrong windows, The heavyweights had clerestory roofs, The Spectrum coach had the right windows but the wrong roof. The Rivarossi's have the wrong windows. So Athearn looked like a good place to start.

Car shell modifications

Making the CUT!!

The cut made to the tailend of the Athearn shell is accomplished with a series of cuts with a razor saw. The resulting end butts nicely to the beavertail's resin casting. The first is made along the rear door forward door frame. I usually try to leave a tiny fraction of an inch to allow sanding to the line with my 400 wet/or/dry sanding block. Next the roofing is removed just up to the third roof panel. This is done by making three cuts, first across the roof down to the walls, and then back along each side along the roof-wall break. The lines to cut to are indicated on the shell. The last two cuts are at forty degrees behind the rear windows on each side. Determine this by comparing to the casting. Measure back along the roof line and up from the floor to get the line to cut.

The beavertail casting can then be glued directly to the Athearn body. Allow to dry thoroughly. Fill the joint with putty if needed. Allow to dry and sand smooth. The beavertails casting sits on top of a rear deck made from styrene. The deck will be framed around on each side and the end with styrene strips to form the skirt and to make the distinctive service deck.

Drill the holes for the grab irons, rear hand rail, marker lights, and the horn you wish to use.

Chassis Modifications

I had a pair of Mantua four wheeled trucks that where very similar to the MILW trucks. One of my trucks has a coupler arm, the other does not. Obviously the one with the coupler arm will go in front. The rear coupler will be mounted directly to the car. The stairs at the rear of the car were cut off flush with the bottom of the car. Then, using a razor saw, a cut was made across the width of the chassis at the point where the steps are formed. Cutting just through the ribbing. You will be able to see the saw approach the bottom of the cut if there is light shining under the teeth as you go. Then a perpendicular cut to this line was made to remove most of the ribbing to that line. The bottom of the 'back porch' cut is then sanded smooth withh 400 wet/dry on a block until the ribbing is just removed. It is useful to rest the chassis on your work bench with the porch only supported by the table. This improves the bite of the sanding block, prevents accidental breakage, and provides better control.

The rear deck is extended to allow the added beavertail's section to clear the rear most window and provide deck space for the rear platform deck. Styrene was cut to fit full width and glued and clamped to this area. The stairwells were filled and the upper flooring of the beavertail deck provided with an additional piece of styrene. Add a third piece on top similar to the second piece, to bring it to full thickeness This will make the beavertails full width and thickness of the chassis. It extends the side frame full thickness to the back of the car, and forms a full platform at the rear of the car. Styrene bolsters were then relocated to properly position the four wheeled trucks. The rear step plates and grab irons where made from brass wire. I used a Kadee coupler box screwed to the underside of the sub-tail. This mounts the coupler directly to the body of the car, which looks quite authentic. I also added the air hoses, uncoupler and climbing irons.

Splicing the casting to the shell

Some small amount of trimming to the casting was required to improve fit to shell, provide wider clearance by rear window, and to flatten out the inside of the rear window area to provide for easy mounting of window glass.






The casting was positioned and then glued with CA. The gap was filled with Squadron White Putty. After drying, it was sanded with 400 paper on a block. A thick coat of Gray was applied to show imperfections. The shell was sanded smooth and another coat given to problem areas. After sanding smooth the coat of gray was applied to the entire shell.
Holes where then drilled for the grab irons, service hand rail, and coupler lifting irons.

Painting

I paint the model first with grey paint. Inspect closely for imperfections. Do more filling and sanding until smooth joint is realized. Then give it another light coat of grey to bring it to uniform coverage.

The colors I first intended to use were:
1:1 Floquil Milw Orange 110162
1:3 Floquil Lettering Gray : Floquil UP gray 110167
1:1 WC Maroon
and Accupaint Maroon 35 or Polyscale Maroon 414155.

The gray seems about right. However, the MILW Orange is "too" orange for my taste, and in my lighting situation.


Mask and paint the orange sides only up to the maroon band, Allow to dry, Mask and paint the maroon band.Allow to dry. Spray a light coat of dullcoat overall. Mount brass grab irons and rear hand rail,. Mount horn. Decal and dull coat! Mount your window panes.

Running!!

Add a some coaches, a diner and a baggage car, and couple it all to a smooth running 4-4-2 Atlantic. Put "Take the A Train" on your record player ... oops, I mean Boom Box, (or do I mean MP3 player? ... I don't know anymore!), then, open the throttle to a nice cruising speed, and watch as a little bit of the past goes by.



Model needs finish painting, maroon trim, horn, black tool box, decals, and glass.

Modelers wishing to purchase the resin casting for mounting to an Athearn round top coach should contact Winona Shops - Beavertail casting.

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