History

Historical Significance

"Chief Ironhorse"

One of the main highlights to any visit, and cornerstone to the Sioux City Railroad Museum is Great Northern steam engine No. 1355, better known as “Chief Ironhorse.” The nickname was given to the engine as tribute to the rich Native American heritage of the Siouxland region.

Originally built in 1909, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as nationally significant for its mechanical and technological attributes.

Rebuilt in 1924 by the Great Northern Railway, it is the sole surviving member of a class of H5 steam locomotives.

It was retired from service in 1955 and given to Sioux City as a token of thanks for the city’s support of the railroad. The city’s desire to remove it from its downtown location in 1984 was the catalyst for the organization and Railroad Museum’s creation.

Early Days

October 16, 1909

On this date, after being built at the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in Philadelphia, PA, engine #1020,

C/N 33909, a coal burning Belpaire firebox engine, was fired and tested.

It was one of twenty-five E-14 class 4-6-0 engines numbered from #1008-1032 built on that order by BLW and shipped to the GN’s Dale Street Shops in St. Paul, MN.

November 13, 1909

Dale St. Shop workers fired the boiler again for further testing.

November 19, 1909

After passing inspections t was ready after inspection #1020 was then sent to Hillyard, near Spokane, Washington for passenger service.

February 19, 1924

Its destiny to become historic engine was put into motion, as #1020 was given a major rebuild at the Dale Street Shops to become a Class H-5, 4-6-2 "Pacific" style engine.

#1020 was the eighth E-14 to be rebuilt to an H-5, 4-6-2.

The other twenty-four E-14’s

were also rebuilt to H-5 class engines during the 1920s, all retaining their 73-inch drive wheel diameter.

As part of the rebuild; 23.5” x 30” cylinders, a Belpaire Boiler rated at 210 psi, type “A” header super heater tubes, a larger fire box, longer boiler, Delta trailing trucks, spoked pilot

wheels replaced with solid wheels, brake modifications, new paint, and was converted from a fuel oil to coal burner. (The change in fuel method happened four times over its career, eventually ending with fuel oil).

May 29, 1924

The engine was rolled out of the shop now numbered #1494 with a rebuild cost of $32,118.96, which would be an estimated $590,801.03 in 2024.

Through interviews and

records from Engineers and Firemen, it was unanimous that the new H-5’s with their added power and traction, were stronger, faster, and more economical than the previous 4-6-0 E-14 engines had been.

After the roll out, #1494 was assigned to the Willmar Division in Minnesota.

January 1925

#1494 entered the Dale Street Shops to receive an additional ‘Booster’ but was later removed in May-June 1929.

Second Career

April 10, 1926 - #1494 was renumbered to #1355 and converted again from coal to fuel oil fired. This number series ran from #1350-1374. #1494 was the last H5 to be renumbered from the 1400 series into the #1350-1374 series. After this final renumbering, it was sent to the Butte Division in Montana where GN#1355 was assigned to handle the “Oriental Limited” for about 5 years. During its career it is known that this locomotive pulled the named passenger trains of the “Empire Builder”, the “Winnipeg Limited” from 1944-49 (by eyewitness accounts), the “Oriental Limited”, the #223 local from Williston, ND to Havre, MT and the Snowden to Bainville, MT route. It is also believed that it handled the “Cascadian” and “Gopher”. During its passenger days as a H5 class locomotive #1355 was rated to run at speeds up to 85 mph. GN#1355 ran in passenger service until about 1950.

1953 - #1355 was sent into the Mesabi Iron Ore Range in Minnesota for hauling ore. With the closing of the steam age, #1355 was then retired in 1955 after 46 years and awaited the

scrappers’ torch.

Late 1954 - a letter from Mr. I.W. Reck of Sioux City, IA, reached the GN, requesting they donate a steam locomotive to the city as a tribute to the railroad workers that were and are yet, a major part in the industrialization and expansion of the U.S.A. The request was granted on June 6, 1955.

July 1955 - #1355 was cleaned and then brought from the Kelly Park, MN area to the southernmost part of GN’s rail lines in Sioux City, IA.

July 14, 1955 – With much pomp and circumstance during a ceremony which included railway officials, business leaders, and city officials GN #1355 was placed on outside display near the downtown Auditorium for all to see and enjoy. The following day an article in The Sioux City Journal describing the events introduced the locomotive to the city as Old Chief Ironhorse, a name that it was never officially assigned but, has stuck with the engine ever since.

RetireMent

1984 - a group, of city and business leaders, retired railroad men and interested volunteers, form

a group called the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association to save #1355 and try to put it back in operation one more time. This project was spear headed by our founder Larry Obermeyer Sr. of Sioux City, IA a conductor for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at the time.

Mid 1984 - many volunteers moved #1355 and Tender #1451 to the old Illinois Central Railroad Shop sight where the restoration process and disassembly of the locomotive was initially started.

1995 - with the grateful assistance of the Burlington Northern Railroad the restoration operation was moved across town to the former Milwaukee Railroad Shops and Roundhouse. The sight had seriously deteriorated as it was converted into a salvage yard after the Milwaukee Roads bankruptcy in 1980. The complex had become overrun with weeds, trees, abandoned vehicles and equipment. The volunteers, besides working on the engine, commenced to cleaning up the sight and restoring the red tagged buildings.

Summer 2000 – A federal transportation enhancement grant was awarded and a new roof was

placed on the Roundhouse over #1355 and tender #1451, along with masonry tuck pointing and new windows. The entire has since been on its way to being completely restored and so has GN#1355 and Tender #1451.

Today - GN #1355 sits dry, on static display with new paint, boiler skirting, piping, interior work and components cleaned and/or rebuilt on both units. Until now, due to historical and

financial constraints the original charter to make this engine operational had to be changed to

make it completely cosmetically restored. It is an official project of the Federal, “Save America’s Treasures Program” by the White House & the National Trust of Historic Preservation, and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as nationally significant for its mechanical and technological

attributes, “Of all the surviving steam locomotives in the U.S.A., only Great Northern Railway Steam Locomotive #1355 is the best remaining national resource to illustrate the historical

associations between the railroads and the National Park Service, along with the historical development of visitation to the National Parks”.