I3104

Famous Trains

Hiawatha

Collins Cover Announcement 

ALL ABOARD !

THE HIAWATHA

The Hiawatha was known as "the fastest train in America." Twice a day, it would provide service between Chicago, Milwaukee, and the twin cities of Minneapolis and-St. Paul. This train was-pulled by the F-7 steam locomotive, and in 1938 designer Otto Kuhler streamlined them and used multiple colors. The Hiawatha stamp is tied to the cover by the incredible Topeka, Kansas pictorial postmark depicting an early engine.

My hand painted cachet for this cover features three members of the train crew. Featured is the conductor who had the responsibility of making sure the train ran on time. The conductor's reliable pocket watch is a great symbol of American passenger trains. Also shown on this cachet are the fireman (lower left) and the engineer (upper left). When the stamp, postmark, and cachet are all viewed together, this becomes another fine railroad First Day Cover. The Hiawatha. Item #I3104 - $12.25.

Winter 2025 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 28 I3101 to I3105 — All Aboard — 20th Century Passenger Trains (set of 5 covers) — 8-26-99

The five first day covers in this railroad set are magnificent! They start with the stamps * The Daylight, * The Congressional, * The 20th Century Limited, * The Hiawatha, and * The Super Chief The great Topeka pictorial postmark was the one I chose to use to enhance the covers I designed for this mini-set. Please look at the colored pages carefully as this marvelous cancellation was my starting point. After selecting the cancel, I decided to bring a human element to my cachets by featuring train crew members who by their devotion helped evolve the great tradition and historical importance of American railroads.

On all of the cachets, I notched a special area for the stamp and cancel, which perfectly fits those two aspects and enhances all of the subjects. Featured are (1) a rugged group of engineers — "hoggers," (2) "eagle eye" engineers, (3) brakemen, (4) train crew, and (5) railroad signals. Those topics bring the special people involved to life and give the viewer a wonderful historic image of the tradition of American railroads. This is a very appealing set of five first day covers.