Historic steam locomotive debute kicks off city-wide historic preservation week celebration

Sioux City, IA – After twenty-five years of pain-staking historic preservation work and a lot of passion and tenacity, Sioux City’s landmark steam locomotive No. 1355 will be the highlight of a public display at the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District this Saturday, May 2, 2009. The outdoor public display, celebrating historic preservation work, is in conjunction with the city-wide Historic Preservation Week celebration and will run from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

“We are proud to finally have the opportunity to say the restoration of Sioux City’s landmark steam locomotive is nearly complete,” said Jon Wagoner, president of the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association. “With the restoration effort, 98 percent complete except for some minor details, we are excited to have this opportunity to formally return this locomotive back to its role as a historic landmark for our community.”

The locomotive sports the Great Northern Railway heritage paint scheme known as Glacier Green. The unique paint scheme incorporates graphic elements such as a green-painted boiler, black-painted cab trimmed with a red roof, and a graphite-color smoke box. The locomotive features a white lettering style with the railroad’s heritage logo. This historic paint scheme was applied to locomotives that were used in passenger service pulling trains to Glacier National Park.

In addition to the graphic designs, the steam locomotive also sports a restored headlight, bell, whistle, and classification lights. The interior of the cab is also restored with many of the old gauges and valves that were used to measure steam pressure and water levels in the boiler.

Steam Locomotive No. 1355, also known as “Ironhorse,” is returning to public display after a twenty-five year extensive overhaul of the locomotive’s mechanical parts and interior boiler. The overhaul began in 1984, when the locomotive was removed from public display next to the Municipal Auditorium. The locomotive was donated to the City of Sioux City in 1955 for display as a landmark acknowledging the community’s railroad heritage. The outdoor display lasted twenty-nine years, causing major deterioration to the iron and steel the locomotive is built out of. The weather also damaged the interior firebox, boiler tubes and steam cylinders due to water seeping into the internal chambers. The overhaul involved hundreds of thousands of volunteer labor, and included extensive overhauls of the firebox, steam appliances, and steam chest, as well as the replacement of stay rods, boiler tubes, outer boiler jacketing, and steam and electrical piping. The locomotive’s tender was completely rebuilt as well.

Originally a high-speed passenger locomotive, the steam locomotive was built for the Great Northern Railway in 1909 and rebuilt in 1924. The locomotive pulled such widely known trains as the Pacific Fast Mail, Oriental Limited, and Empire Builder. The locomotive was also used in the later years of steam to pull freight trains and ore trains in the Iron Range. The locomotive’s train service ended in 1955 when it was donated to the City of Sioux City.

The steam locomotive is listed nationally-significant on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated an official project of the federal Save America’s Treasures program for its industrial heritage and technology. The steam locomotive will be permanently displayed in the roundhouse building at the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District. The public will be able to have access to the locomotive during the railroad museum’s normal operating hours. Special stairs have been built to allow the public access.

In addition to the steam locomotive’s public display, the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association will be offering guided and self-guided tours of the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District, motor cars rides, and displays of railroad artifacts. Volunteers will be on hand to discuss the upcoming historic preservation projects scheduled to begin mid-summer, including the rebuilding of the machine shop building. Dr. Daniels’ new book on Sioux City railroad history will be available for purchase in the historic district’s gift shop.

The locomotive display will also commemorate the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association’s 25th anniversary. The organization was founded in 1984 by the late railroad conductor, Larry Obermeyer, and group of volunteer community members who saw a need to preserve and promote the preservation of railroad history. On Saturday, the public will have the opportunity to meet and greet volunteers who have labored tirelessly over the years to reclaim the Milwaukee Railroad Shops from being a dilapidated junk yard to the park-like historic district it is today. Wagoner points out that there are several volunteers who have been with the organization for the full 25 years. He estimates over the 25 years that a hundred volunteers have collectively contributed over 250,000 hours of labor. “It’s not uncommon for many of our volunteers to devote more than 10 hours a week to our projects,” adds Wagoner.

The Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District is located along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, State Highway 12, in the north Riverside neighborhood of Sioux City. The historic district is located between the Big Sioux River and the Loess Hills Bluffs, approximately 2 miles south of Stone State Park.

RML Architects selected for design and engineering work

The City Council for the City of Sioux City last week approved awarding a contract to RML Architects for design and engineering work for the new model railroad/civil engineering exhibit building and the rehabilitation of the machine shop building. The scope of work involves the design of the new building that will be constructed for the displaying of the Nebraska Centeral Railway exhibit and related civil engineering artifacts. RML Architects will sketch out the construction documents and blueprints that will govern the historic preservation work on the machine shop building. This building will undergo a complete rehabilitation to the building envelope that includes the reconstruction of the roof, windows, and doors. Other historic preservation work will center on tuckpointing the brick masonry. A ground breaking for this next phase of historic preservation work is scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

RML Architects has previously performed design and engineering work on the roundhouse building and wood sand tower. The firm has also helped with the development of the overall site redevelopment plan. The City of Sioux City serves as the project's public sponsor and fiscal agent.

Major funding for the historic preservation work and new building construction is provided by competitive grants awarded through the Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program administered by the Iowa Department of Transportation; Vision Iowa Community Attractions and Tourism Program administered by the Iowa Department of Economic Development; State Historic Sites Preservation Grant Program administered by the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Economic Development Grant Program administered by the Loess Hills Alliance. Other funding is provided by individual and corporate contributions, as well as special grants awarded by the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sioux City.

Volunteers enroll in SHRA training program

Two volunteers have enrolled in the locomotive and train service training program provided by the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association. Odell Overgaard and Shawn Sypersma began their training on Saturday, 11 April 2009, with an introduction to safety rules, hand signals and locomotive operations, including coupling to and pulling freight cars and cabooses. The two students were able to operate the SHRA's GE 45-ton diesel locomotive. The training was conducted under the supervision of Matt Merk and Ken Brown, SHRA training instructors. As part of their training program, both Odell and Shawn will receive training on motor car operations. The students also receive training in book of rules and general operating rules.

Once Odell and Shawn complete their training they will be able to serve as engineers and trainmen within the railyard of the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District. Train service personnel are responsible for the movement of locomotives and rolling stock within the historic district. Most often they are engaged with moving locomotive and rolling stock in and out of the roundhouse building for either exhibition or exhibit work. Train service personnel are also responsible for the operation of the motor car excursion ride.

If you are interested in learning more about volunteering in train service, please contact the SHRA via e-mail: shra@cableone.net with the subject line: interested in train service.