GN 1355

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

GN 1355 as it looked when on display at Civic Auditorium, Sioux City, Iowa.

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. 
Click Here to read the HISTORY of GN 1355 (updated 3-8-2009).

Also visit Todd Schultz's website about the roundhouse.

Update:  September 27, 2009:  Don Dandurand created a replica whistle for GN 1355 which is now in place on the locomotive.

#1 - Replica whistle for GN 1355; #2 - Jim Lipinski and Don Dandurand pose with replica whistle; #3 - Jim Lipinski installs the replica whistle on GN 1355.

Update:  July 24, 2009:  I was able to visit the GN 1355 in Sioux City after the Duluth convention and Don Dandurand and Ed Sibley gave me the grand tour.  Following are some photos from my visit.

#1 - Don Dandurand explaining about the cab lettering; #2 - Ed Sibley dusts off the boiler jacket; #3 - Don Dandurand explaining about the workings of the cab; #4 - Fireman's side of cab; #5 - Engineer's side of cab.

#6 - Don pointing out the various pipes and gauges; #7 - Fireman's side tender logo; #8 - Engineer's side tender logo and two re-railers (painted yellow to better see them); #9 - Lindsay Korst holding GN 1355's seven chime whistle (kept under lock and key); #10 - Close up of front of locomotive.

THANK YOU! - To Don, Ed, and everyone at SHRA for showing me around and for what you've all accomplished with GN 1355!

Update:  April 12, 2009:  The headlight and front markers and now working!

Update:  February 4, 2009:  Taken back in October 2008, these pictures show GN 1355's eccentric assembly and side rods after being polished and sealed.  Damage would occur if the blemishes were removed.  Work by Don Dandurand.

GAUGES!!!  These eight photos document a complete set of rebuilt gauges, fabricated brackets and copper tubing in the cab of GN 1355.  All work and photos by Don Dandurand.

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GN 1355 sports new, green marker lights for the first time in about 50 years. Installed by Ed and Steve.

Update:  August 24, 2008:  #1 & #2 are GN 1355 front with a new parabolic lens installed by Ed, Don, Laura and Steve. Lens paid for by Irving Jensen and Jack Bernstein; #3 is GN Tender#1451 with new forward-facing Great Northern logo; #4 is left side cylinder assembly stripped of paint in key areas, cleaned and fresh grease applied; #5 is left side piston assembly and shaft have been cleaned and fresh grease applied. Ready for Main Rod. Work on #4 & #5 by Don Dandurand.

Update:  August 10, 2008:  Eight more pictures from Don Dandurand on the progress of GN 1355.  #1 is Ed Sibley and Bob Sweeney talking over the new steam chest covers Bob will make. #2 is Steve, Jon and Ed putting front covers-nuts and clamps along with headlight bracket in place. #3 is re-railers from tender in primer paint. #4 is the finished sand dome.

#5, 6 & 7 are views of the freshly-painted boiler and smokebox by Dave Gordon and Bob Sweeney.  #8 is 1355 outside in fresh paint. 

Update:  July 2, 2008:  Don has been doing quite a bit of work on the locomotive lately including (from left to right): 1. Polishing driving rods; 2. Refurbishing and painting engineer and fireman's seats; 3. Pre-painting view of tender; 4. Primer coat on tender; 5. Painting smokebox with a sample of boiler green visible.  The smokebox was painted by Bob Sweeney, with the assistance of several helpers.; 6 & 7.  Rear and side views of repainted tender #1451.  Don has stated once the tender is ready, he will have the GN logo hand-repainted by a local sign painter.

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.

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:  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:  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.).