@Dave Koehler posted:My set boxes and 2 of my sets are in my store room, But let me give you a quick overview.
The 1934\35 cars Smooth sided, arched windows on the sides. The Beaver Tail , had 2 triangular arched window at the back. Pictured above
The 1936 /37 cars Smooth sided with the addition of a rib above and below the window, which are now square. not arched. The Beaver Tail now has 4 window , square.
The 1938 to 42 cars has the Ribbed sides, with a variety of windows . The Beaver Tail had 2 rectangular horizontal windows and the plywood fins.
The A class shrouded 4-4-2 Atlantic's were the largest , and fastest ever built! They were the first steam engines to be built for shrouding and intended for the first 2 series of light weight cars. but pulled everything in their years of service . The Shrouded F7 4-6-4 ( Baltics) were re builds and up graded in the MR shops. It was long known Baltics could handle the 110 MPH service as well as longer heavier trains , until the New deiseal locomotives came on line.
Note : all these style cars were run in Hiawatha service . The A class, the F7's , Shrouded Pacific's as well as 2 shrouded ten wheelers all pulled these cars on one of the many Hiawatha routes during their service on "The Road"
From what I know, the F7 Baltics were all built in 1938 by American Locomotive Works! Their design was a product of Otto Kuhler. That third set of rib cars arrived sooner than the Baltics, but as soon as the F7s arrived they pulled the ribbed cars. The Milwaukee Road shrouded 4-6-2s and 4-6-0s in the home shops.
As for the original consist that the "A"s pulled in the very beginning were: Tip top tap; 3 coaches; parlor car; and the Beaver Tail. Business was brisk and the Milwaukee had to add extra cars.