National Recognition Brings New Hope for Engine 1356

Missoula got some good news about the historic locomotive located at the end of Higgins Avenue. Engine 1356 has officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places. There has been a lot of work done on the engine and the surrounding area, but there’s more to come.

Why Engine 1356 Matters to Missoula History

I spoke with Jeannine Nixon, from Friends of Engine 1356, and got some updates about the historic engine.

Nixon wanted to acknowledge Dan Hall for writing the application for Engine 1356 to be added to the National Historic Registry. Now that the engine is on the registry, it qualifies for grants that can help with its continued restoration.

What National Recognition Means for Restoration

There are some big projects that they would like to have done. Engine 1356’s cab needs to be rebuilt, and they are looking for a space for that to happen this winter. The tender needs to be patched and welded when the weather allows. Then, they would like to paint the engine.

Upcoming Restoration Projects for Engine 1356

There are some smaller projects they would like to get done as well. They want to get the smaller numbers lit up, marker lights replaced, and the inside of the cab lit up. Nixon says "it’s like buying an old house, there's always something to do.”

There are other projects that would be a dream to have done in the future, but for now, there are enough projects to keep the volunteers and hard workers of Engine 1356 busy for the next few years.

If anyone wants to learn more about Engine 1356, you can find them at the Clark Fork Winter Market on Saturdays inside the Badlander and Locals Only at 208 Ryman Street, or online at missoula1356.org.