Williston group proposes to restore rare locomotive
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WILLISTON -- The Fort Buford 6th Infantry Association announced it has officially presented a comprehensive, volunteer-led proposal to the Williston Parks & Recreation District to cosmetically restore historic Great Northern Steam Locomotive 3059 in downtown Williston's Railroad Park.
Reverse-engineered to culminate in a grand weekend rededication on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2028, the initiative directly anchors the landmark’s 70th anniversary milestone into Williston's annual Chokecherry Festival weekend.
Locomotive 3059, a rugged 2-8-2 “Mikado” type freight workhorse built in 1913, holds immense regional value as the sole surviving representative of Great Northern's O-1 Class of locomotives, according to the association. Following decades of heavy freight service across the railway’s Minot and Dakota Divisions, the locomotive was officially retired and presented to the Williston Park Board by Great Northern President John M. Budd on Aug. 2, 1958.
“Decades of exposure to the elements have taken a visible toll on this rare artifact,” said Benjamin Gjorven, president of the Fort Buford 6th Infantry Association in a news release. “Founded right here in 1962, our association has spent over 60 years dedicated to preserving the history of the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Region. We want to leverage our historical expertise to ensure this downtown gateway looks its absolute best for its 70-year milestone.”
The proposed project stands out by enforcing a strict “Safety-First” framework to protect public health. The association will enforce a “Zero-Touch Safeguard,” ensuring that no physical volunteer labor occurs on the locomotive until state-certified environmental contractors are hired to erect a fully sealed containment envelope. These professionals will safely perform full lead-paint and asbestos abatement, including boiler insulation, legally haul away all waste to an approved landfill, and clear the site before volunteers ever pick up a tool.
Once certified safe, the physical restoration will utilize a highly professional, multi-phase execution strategy to maintain a clean construction site. The machinist team at Williston Locomotive Work and its professional contacts will use heavy shop machinery to pre-cut and pre-form replacement outer sheet-metal boiler jacket panels before final assembly in the park.
The project will re-coat the engine in its celebrated “Glacier Park” olive green boiler jacket, gloss black frame, mineral red cab roof and a Williston-authentic matte dark graphite smokebox, reflecting its gritty freight heritage serviced by the local roundhouse. All technical data will be hand-stenciled in its original stark white.
The new sign will bring the original 1958 plaque text closer to viewers who cannot read it through the security barriers, detail the townsite’s 1887 founding by James J. Hill in honor of Willis James, and highlight Williston’s role as a major Division Point for the Great Northern Railway’s Butte Division.
The project will be 100% independently funded through community fundraising, material grants, and corporate sponsorship tiers managed by the association. Donations can be made through the Restore Great Northern 3059's GoFundMe campaign or social media. Contributions also can be mailed to Fort Buford 6th Infantry Association, P.O. Box 159, Williston, ND 58802. Businesses wishing to sponsor materials or volunteers looking to join the restoration work crews are encouraged to contact the association directly.