#1355 started life as #1020, one of twenty five oil burning Ten Wheeler type (4-6-0) Class E14 locomotives built for the Great Northern at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, in 1909 (#1008-#1032).
#1020 went to work in the Hillyard, WA, region.
In 1919, it moved to the Spokane, WA, Division and hauled passenger services until 1924 when it went into the Dale St. Shops for a major rebuild as coal burning Class H-5-S Pacific type (4-6-2) locomotive #1494 at a cost of $32,118.96. In 1926, #1494 was renumbered #1355 and converted from a coal burner back to an oil burner.
The driver wheelbase is 14’ and the engine wheelbase 35’ 11½”.
With Walschaert valve gear and 23½” x 30” cylinders, it has a 50.4 sq ft grate, 247 sq ft Belpaire firebox with 31 sq ft of arch tubes for a total heating surface of 3,904 sq ft including 774 sq ft superheating.
The engine weighs 282,800 lbs, 176,000 lbs on its 73” drivers. Operating at a boiler pressure of 210 psi, it delivered 40,511 lbs tractive effort.
The tender weighs 188,400 lbs light and has a capacity of 10,000 gallons of water and 4,500 gallons of oil.
#1355 went to the Butte, MT, Division assigned to handle the Oriental Limited for about five years and stayed in passenger service until about 1950. During its operating life, it also hauled the Empire Builder, the Winnipeg Limited, the Cascadian, Gopher and the #223 local from Williston to Havre, as well as on the Snowden to Bainville, MT, route.
In 1953, it was sent into the Mesabi Iron Ore Range to work and was retired two years later when it was donated to the City of Sioux City, IA. In 1984, it was donated to the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association and is now located at the historic Milwaukee Road Roundhouse, built in 1917, in the Riverside Section of Sioux City.