American Heartland Railroad Society

04/01/2026

After taking significant inspiration with the T1 Trust's work to create a brand-new locomotive, AHRS has spent the better part of a year working with the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Historical Society, The National Archives, as well as various other archive partners to ensure this project is possible.

AHRS is now announcing the beginning of a campaign to fund the new construction of a Rock Island R-67b Northern Type locomotive! Being a new member of her class, she will be numbered #5120.

In the coming years the volunteers will be diligently working to scan as many documents and diagrams to ensure that this construction will go as smooth as possible. As an Oil fired locomotive, we hope that she will have a secure future in operation for many years to come. Please stay tuned for further updates!

03/13/2026

Due to the extreme weather in the forecast, the AHRS has decided to cancel our Project 1355 work day scheduled for Sunday, March 15th.

We appreciate your understanding and hope to see everyone at our next work day!

03/04/2026

02/21/2026

⭐️ VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT ⭐️

Good morning everyone,

If you’ve ever graced the stalls of the Milwaukee Road Roundhouse on a Project 1355 work day, you’ve definitely met a few of our volunteers. These are the people who help move this restoration—and our other projects—forward with their hard work, time, and energy. All of our volunteers bring diverse backgrounds, skills, and personalities to the organization. We’d like to start sharing a bit about these members with all of you to help you get to know our team better.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Jiles Tihpen.

Jiles brings to the organization his background in heavy equipment operations, fantastic photography skills, a strong historic knowledge base with excellent research abilities, and a great “can-do” attitude.

He has been with us from the very beginning and continues to be a core part of the organization. We’ve all grown to love having him around because of his ability to make anyone laugh and feel like part of the team. He has a big personality, and if you’ve spent more than a few minutes with him, you’ll feel like you’ve known him your whole life. He’s a great friend—not only to the organization, but to many of us outside of it as well.

His big personality is matched by his willingness to learn, take on new projects and responsibilities, teach other members, and offer help wherever it’s needed. If you need him, he’s there.

On behalf of the American Heartland Railroad Society, thank you, Jiles, for being a great friend and a dedicated volunteer.

Logan Stilwill
President

02/11/2026

There will be no work day this coming weekend, February 14-15.

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next workday on Saturday February 21st!

We hope everyone enjoys their Valentine’s Day!

02/05/2026

We would like to thank KCAU 9 News for visiting and helping spread the word on our restoration of Great Northern 1355 and Project 1355!

https://www.facebook.com/share/17oYsJvotZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/10/2025

Have you heard the news? Steam is returning to the American Heartland! 🔥

Founded in July 2024, the American Heartland Railroad Society, in cooperation with the Sioux City Railroad Museum, took on the herculean task of returning steam locomotive #1355 to operation. Rebuilt in-house by the Great Northern's Dale Street shops to haul famous named trains across its system, this now 116 year old machine will be returning the thrill of steam power to the Sioux City area and beyond!

We have made unimaginable progress since the first bolt was turned on the engine over one year ago, but this project cannot be finished alone. Consider donating to the American Heartland Railroad Society and the Sioux City Railroad Museum to see our vision whistle to life again!

Here's just a sample of what our dedicated volunteers are bringing to the table. Look out for more exciting updates as this project unfolds!

https://www.americanheartlandrailroadsociety.com/donate

https://www.gn1355.org/