Lionel 2431690 O BTO Milw. Rd. LEGACY Hiawatha 4-4-2 #1

Speed was at the heart of the design for the Milwaukee Road's A class. The four streamlined Atlantics were among the largest and last of the type built in North America. Unlike previous locomotives which had been given a streamlined appearance after construction, the A's were the first locomotives designed and delivered this way - and they kept the look all the way to the end in 1951. Expected to surpass 100mph in service every day, engineers' focus on speed started well below the beautiful lines seen by the public. Even after larger streamlined locomotives came to the roster, the A's remained in high-speed service their entire lives. Introduced in 1935 alongside new Hiawatha streamlined passenger trains, the A's streamlining remained remarkably intact over the next two decades. Primarily used between the Twin Cities and Chicago, in later years the A's handled Hiawatha's to other points as well. The trains were able to compete successfully alongside competing roads' diesel-powered streamliners in speed, service, and profitability. The Hiawatha has been long-absent from the Lionel catalog. Back for the first time in over 15 years, the A's return with Bluetooth and Whistle Steam for the first time! Prototypical versions are offered in as-delivered (1935, #1), c. 1937-47 (#2) and later (c. 1947-51 #4) Milwaukee Road variations. Our post-1947 version includes a working Mars Light on the nose. What-if fantasy schemes are also available for the C&NW, Seaboard and Union Pacific. Just like the prototype, these models will go fast! Make sure you preorder with your dealer for guaranteed delivery.