Luxury Locomotive Lodge Essex, Montana

GN 441’s interior has been transformed into a luxurious lodging accommodation. 400-year-old antique oak plank flooring.. blue pine tongue and groove ceiling.. custom cabinetry.. unique “live edge” trim.. All combine to create a rustic and inviting interior, perfect for a small family or two couples.

The rugged splendor of Glacier National Park has been brought inside with a creative integration of stone, wood and leather

Built by General Motors for Santa Fe in 1968, this 195-ton F45 once hustled high priority freight from California to the Midwest Sandcut, California, early 1970s Photo © Charles R. Lange Heritage

Kyune, Utah April 22, 1999 Photo © Steve Ellis Heritage Later it hauled coal for the Utah Railway over the Wasatch Mountain range – until it was retired in 2001

Saved from the scrapper’s torch in 2008, it was meticulously restored by skilled craftsmen at RELCO Locomotives, Albia, Iowa

In July 2009, GN 441 became the first locomotive in 40 years to be painted in Great Northern’s stunning “Big Sky Blue”

In August 2009, BNSF Railway hauled GN 441 1,746 miles from Iowa to Montana Lewis & Clark “Camp Disappointment” Monument, Piegan, Montana

Massive “sideboom” dozers were needed to lift 441 onto its track at the Izaak Walton Inn. Next step: converting the interior

Now: Cooling fans are skylights to let in the Montana sunshine over a cozy Hudson Bay Blanket adorned king-size bed Master bedroom Then: Radiators and cooling fans to dissipate diesel engine heat

Now: Doors open to a picture-perfect view of the BNSF mainline Then: Engine room access doors for locomotive maintenance

Now: Luxurious bath with exquisite stone shower, jetted tub and heated floor Then: Equipment rack with oil cooler, oil filters and cooling water tank

Then: 3,600 horsepower, 20-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine Now: natural stone fireplace, LCD flat screen TV, leather queen plus comfort sleeper sofa, GN route map etched transom light

Check out the cab! Then: Main alternator producing 4,500 amps for traction Now: full kitchen featuring custom cabinets, granite countertops, copper sink, gas range, microwave, disposal and dishwasher

The original cab has been restored to better-than-new condition – with leather seats!

GN 441 represents the last locomotives acquired by the Great Northern Railway – locomotives that once rolled past the Izaak Walton Inn every day. Here you’ll find scenic splendor, railroad history, modern amenities, and luxurious furnishings.. a unique and memorable lodging experience.

The Izaak Walton Inn is a historic hotel at Essex, Montana, on the south border of Glacier National Park. Built for the Great Northern Railway in 1939 to host tourists and fishermen in the summer and railroad workers in the winter, it is the only Glacier Park resort that is open year-round. Photos © Tom Lambrecht & Bill Christopher