GN 1355
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GN 1355 H-5 class 4-6-2 steam locomotive


GN 1355, Class H-5, 4-6-2 is preserved and currently being cosmetically restored at Sioux City, Iowa at the former Milwaukee Road roundhouse.

Thanks to a donation by GNRHS in 2006, Siouxland Historical Railroad Association (SHRA) in Sioux City, Iowa, obtained a compressor to once again make GN 1355's voice heard.

In the photo on the left, we see Ken Brown preparing to operate the chime whistle for the first time.  In the photo on the right, Ed Sibley does the honors.

Click Here to hear a sample of GN 1355's original chime whistle (file size 1.05MB).

Click Here to hear GN 1355's original bell (file size 1.32MB).

SHRA is in the process of cosmetically restoring GN 1355 to her original condition (non-operational) for historical display.

Update:  June 22, 2007:  First, here is a black & white photo of GN 1355 in service courtesy of Don Dandurand.  This 1953 photo at Kelly Park, MN, was taken by C.T. Felstead who had been hired by the GN to take pictures of retiring locomotives or ones about to be retired soon.  GN 1355 was delivered to Sioux City in 1955 and placed near the city auditorium as shown in the color picture at the top of this page.

Good progress is being made as the restoration of GN 1355 continues.  Don Dandurand of Sioux City, Iowa sent along these pictures of the work he has done stripping about 10 coats of paint off the old drivers.  The four pictures below are:  drivers before air chipping, after air chipping, Don operating the air chipper, what it looks like when finished and painted.

Next we see Bob Sweeney doing some touch up painting on the boiler.  Bob also shaped all new metal covers and cover strapping for the sheets seams over the boiler.

Here is a view of the cab with its repainted roof.

GOOD NEWS!  Don reports their group is planning to repaint GN 1355 into the famous Glacier Park scheme (green boiler, mineral red cab, silver or graphite smokebox, etc.).

Update:  August 11, 2007:  Ed Sibley and Steve Dougherty (on top of boiler) settle the sand dome cap back on top while Jon Waggoner waits to help if needed. Photo by Don Dandurand. Sioux City, Iowa, August 11, 2007.

Update:  September 29, 2007:  Boiler Green!!! Some of that fabulous green has been applied to the boiler of GN 1355.  Glacier Park scheme is starting to emerge.  Photo by Don Dandurand.

Update:  March 2, 2008:  Much of the locomotive's piping is being painstakingly reinstalled/replaced.  Picture 1 is "Finished Engineer's side under cab piping of brakes and signal system - work by Don Dandurand and Jim Lipinski".  Picture 2 is Oiler tubing on the cylinder with work by "Ed, Steve, Odell and Ron".  Picture 3 is "All Steamed Up and Ready to Go"...a little Photoshop magic by Don Dandurand.

I will add more pictures as additional progress is reported.