What is a solarium car?

I recently started a topic on semi-scale Madison cars. I received some good replies and I thought I had all the information I needed to make a well-thought out purchase. I'm working on recreating a CP holiday train as a long term project, and the only semi-scale heavyweight cars in the CP maroon colors I could find are MTH 60 ft Madison cars. They come as a 4 car set listed as baggage, 2 coach, observation on the MTH web site and catalog, but you really can't see much as the photos are microscopic. About all you can see is that the observation car looks different than the other cars. Using the MTH product locator, one dealer had the set and I was able to order the last one in stock.

I was quite surprised when I received the package and opened it to find a car with numerous closed in windows instead of an open platform on the back of the "observation car". Although the MTH website and catalog state the set has an observation car, the box calls it a solarium car (hence all the windows). What is a solarium car? I've never heard of these cars before. Why would MTH have a solarium car instead of an observation car in the first place, let alone call it an observation car on the web site/catalog? At least for me, the open platform on the rear of the observation car is one of the neat features of heavyweight cars, and I'm planning on having Santa waving on the platform at the back of my recreated holiday train. It's not quite the same effect if Santa is waving out the window of the solarium car.

I wish someone had mentioned the funky solarium cars when I had the topic about semi-scale madison cars, but I guess if I don't know the right questions to ask, I can't expect the right answers. I don't live near any hobby shops where I could look at them. I like to research and see pictures before making purchases, but I searched and was unable to find any photos of the MTH 60 ft Madison cars, so I was pretty much going off the catalog description. Big mistake on my part. I'm not very happy with MTH for the misleading catalog description and the lack of photos or drawings on their website to adequately illustrate the product.

Now that I have ranted, I have a few options. I contacted the hobby shop, and although they didn't sound happy, they will let me return the set. I'm a little reluctant to do that for a few reasons. One, it is a smaller store. The dealer hasn't done anything wrong and if I return the set, I'm making my problem his problem. Also, if I return it and order a different car set as a replacement, I'm racking up quite a shipping bill.

As I mentioned, these cars are the only ones with the correct color scheme. The next closest are probably PRR Madison cars in tuscan. I could go MTH O-27 or Williams 60 ft in PRR tuscan. But then I'd either have the CP PRR Holiday Train and the reddish color wouldn't quite be right, or have to try and repaint the body of the cars (wouldn't need to paint the tops), and repainting the lettering in gold would be a challenge.

I'm considering trying to kit bash the solarium car. I could 1)leave the roof the same, 2) cut the rear wall of the car off, 3) cut the side walls of the car back the distance of one window, 4) glue the rear wall back in the new position, 5) glue an awning around the existing roof which is now an overhang, 6) add a deck on top of the existing car bottom that now protrudes, and 7) cut off the ladders and add stairs, and make safety railings and add the railings around the new open platform.

I don't have much experience kit bashing at this point, but I plan to add mini Christmas lights and assorted objects to the various cars to look like the real CP holiday train, so I'm going to be messing with the cars anyway. The Christmas lights would even help cover up the new seam between the rear and side walls. I've been looking at the photos from CandO's Polar Express observation car modifications, and they are inspiring. What I am picturing is probably easier to do. It would so much easier if MTH had actually put an observation car in the set.

So, thanks for letting me rant. If anyone knows what a solarium car is, feel free to expound, and if you have any hints or tips for the kit bashing project, such as sources for steps, railings, awnings, etc.