But the reality is there is likely a lot of work to do on the 60-year-old ex-Durango & Rio Grande Western No. 133 before that can happen. And that means money.

However, just under a month after the No. 133 arrived at the museum on a two-year loan from the Promontory Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, a GoFundMe has been set up for the EMD SW1200’s restoration with an initial goal of $15,000.

According to the GoFundMe page, the donations will be used to:

• “Preserve and enhance its original (1965) Rio Grande Paint.
• Address current rust issues, and prevent future rust issues.
• Mechanical Maintenance
• Acquire a new set of batteries to begin the process of returning it to operation.”

Promontory Chapter Preservation Officer Derrick Klarr told the Standard-Examiner that it will be some time before the group knows the extent of restoration work necessary.

“In talking with the folks who maintained it for the grain company, when they had it running, it was a pretty decent loco,” he said. “Of course, sitting for several years didn’t do it any favors. Visually, everything looks complete, but it’s hard to say what we’ll encounter once we get going on it.”

He said experience has taught him that restoration of an older locomotive comes with the potential for surprises — be it an easier-than-anticipated startup with a day’s work or plan-derailing complications.

“I was involved with a similar locomotive recently that sat unused for several years,” he said. “We installed a set of batteries, did a little bit of prepping and pre-lubing, and we had it up and running by the end of the day, running it back and forth on a spur track. We’re hoping for the same results with 133. If we do encounter any major issues, that could put a stop pretty quickly to our efforts to return it to operation, or at least slow down the effort until additional funding can be raised.”

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe for No. 133’s restoration had raised $5,530, more than a third of the way to the Promontory Chapter’s $15,000 goal.

For more information and to contribute, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-promontory-chapters-restoration-work?attribution_id=sl:8a74e4e7-0481-436c-9d35-62fb2605eaac&lang=en_US&ts=1764541018&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp17_control&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link.