The Skytop Lounges were a fleet of streamlined passenger cars with the parlor-lounge cars built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("the Milwaukee Road") and sleeper-lounges built by

Pullman-Standard The Pullman Company, founded by George Pullman, was a manufacturer of railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Through rapid late-19th century ...

in 1948. The cars were designed by famed industrial designer Brooks Stevens. The fleet included both parlor-lounges and sleeping cars. The lounges entered service in 1948 on the '' Twin Cities Hiawatha'', while the sleeping cars were used on the long-distance '' Olympian Hiawatha''. In 1964 the Milwaukee Road sold the sleeping cars to the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

, which operated them until 1977. The parlor cars continued in service with the Milwaukee Road until 1970, when they were retired.

Background

In 1935, the Milwaukee Road introduced the original '' Hiawatha'' between Chicago and the Twin Cities to great acclaim. The new trains covered the in 7 hours. Their equipment included the popular "Tip-Top-Tavern" and the distinctive " Beaver Tail" lounge observation cars. From the beginning the ''Hiawathas'' were known for speed and stylish design. Such was the success of the train that the Milwaukee Road would introduce new equipment again in 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1942. The Second World War prevented additional improvements, but by 1947 the Milwaukee Road was looking to improve its services. For the next and as it turned out final equipment set for the ''Twin Cities Hiawatha'' the Milwaukee Road turned to Brooks Stevens, an industrial designer and Milwaukee native. Beyond the ''Twin Cities Hiawathas'', the Milwaukee Road planned to relaunch the transcontinental ''

Olympian Olympian or Olympians may refer to: Religion * Twelve Olympians, the principal gods and goddesses in ancient Greek religion * Olympian spirits, spirits mentioned in books of ceremonial magic Fiction * ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'', fiction ...

'' with new streamlined equipment, a new schedule, and a new name: the ''Olympian Hiawatha''.

Design

Breaking with the "Beaver Tail" design, the rear of the Skytop Lounge was 90% glass, with multiple rows of windows reaching up to form the ceiling. In the four parlor-lounges this "solarium" contained 12 seats, with an additional 24 seats in the interior of the car. At the front of the car was a four-seat drawing room. The interior featured wood paneling, characteristic of Milwaukee Road designs. The Milwaukee Road contracted with

for six sleeping cars based on the parlor-lounge design. The sleeping cars featured reduced seating in the solarium to make room for eight double bedrooms. Pullman-Standard did not adopt wood paneling for its interiors.

Service history

The parlor-lounge Skytop Lounges entered service on the ''Morning'' and ''Afternoon Hiawathas'' on May 29, 1948. The Milwaukee Road touted the lounges as "the finishing touch to a perfect train." On April 1, 1969 the Milwaukee Road removed the lounges from the ''Morning Hiawatha''. Skytop Lounges continued to operate on the ''Afternoon Hiawatha''. The Milwaukee Road discontinued the ''Afternoon Hiawatha'' on January 23, 1970, ending the use of Skytop Lounges by the Milwaukee Road. The sleeping cars spent even less time in Milwaukee service. Pullman-Standard delivered the cars between December 1948 and January 1949 for use on the '' Olympian Hiawatha'', which operated between Chicago and Tacoma, Washington. The Milwaukee Road discontinued the ''Olympian Hiawatha'' on May 22, 1961, in the face of mounting passenger losses. In 1964 the Milwaukee Road sold all six to the

(along with six of the Super Domes), which dubbed them "Skyview" lounges and put them into service on the '' Ocean''. The Canadian National Railway took them out of service in the early 1970s and disposed of them in 1977. Two of the sleeping cars later became part of the SS ''Lansdowne'', a floating restaurant in Detroit, Michigan. After that venture failed the remains of the cars were purchased by the Milwaukee Road Historical Association in 2009 and shipped to a museum in Montevideo, Minnesota.

Fleet list

Preservation

Several of the Skytops were preserved. Former parlor-lounge 186, the ''Cedar Rapids'', belongs to the Friends of the 261 and is used on charter trips and excursions. Former parlor-lounge 188, the ''Dell Rapids'', is on display at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in

Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal Resort town, resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population ...

. Former parlor-lounge 187, the ''Coon Rapids'' was last spotted around 1979, and is thought to be stored with the last two Baldwin RF-16s in Wells, MI as part of a private collection. Former sleeper-lounge 15 ''Coffee Creek'' was undergoing restoration by

Iowa Pacific Iowa Pacific Holdings was a holding company that owned railroad properties across North America and the United Kingdom, as well as providing services such as railcar repairs, leasing, management and consulting services to other operators. The comp ...

. After the bankruptcy of Iowa Pacific it was acquired by the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway.

Notes

References

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External links

Roster

{{Pullman rolling stock Train-related introductions in 1948 Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Pullman Company Rail passenger cars of the United States Railway coaches of Canada