5511 was among several pieces of equipment to be donated to Railroad Heritage of Midwest America (RRHMA) in Silvis, Illinois, with plans to rebuild No.

Despite the divided classes, all of the UP 2-10-2s had the same cylinder dimensions, driving wheel diameter and boiler pressure.

It was initially assigned to pull heavy freight trains over the steep grades of the Wasatch Mountain Range between Ogden, Utah and Green River, Wyoming.

5511 was reassigned to pull long freight trains across the Great Plains in Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa.

After filming was finished, the locomotive was sent to Cheyenne, where its piston rods were cut and it was scheduled to be scrapped with the rest of the UP's 2-10-2s.

However, an unknown employee had ordered the locomotive to be held for preservation due to its movie appearance.

The locomotive was repainted for a cleaner appearance and stored inside the UP's Cheyenne Roundhouse for the next six decades.

During that time, the locomotive was repainted and moved onto a turntable to be displayed for a National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) convention.

[8] In November of that same year, UP moved 5511 and the rest of the donated equipment to the RRHMA's large shop facility in Silvis, Illinois.