NC&StL 576 Soon to Be on Home Rails

A special shout out to Shane Meador of the Nashville Steam Preservation Society and his expert team, and the many volunteers who began the restoration work while the 576 was still on display in Nashville's Centennial Park. Also, a special thanks to CSX for their gracious assistance in this project. The Tennessee Central Railway Museum, under the direction of Terry Bebout, and the Nashville and Eastern Railway are providing a restoration site as well as the railway to eventually run excursion trains with the 576. The Nashville and Eastern Railway was recently acquired by R.J. Corman, and they are on board with continuing the ongoing TCRM excursions over their railway. Finally, kudos to the Mammoet international heavy lifting firm whose expert team, specialized gear and apparatus made this park-to-rails move one of the smoothest ever.

For more information go to nashvillesteam.org

Went to see the 576 earlier today spotted on active rails near the restored Nashville Union Station, which is now a posh hotel. The former waiting room is a now a beautiful lobby, covered by the original stained glass paneled barrel vault ceiling. The project team had an air compressor hooked up to the 576 whistle and that was the best whistle sound I ever heard! This is Nashville's OWN engine designed here by NC&StL's then superintendent of machinery, Clarence M. Darden, and built by ALCO in Schenectady, NY. A number of Nashvillians turned out today in inclement weather to see her before she is towed via CSX to the belt line for her short trip to the Tennessee Central Railway Museum shortly at 3:30 PM. We Nashvillians are very ecstatic to have this engine begin her full restoration!

We are especially appreciative of the very generous and gracious cooperation of CSX for moving our locomotive over their busy mainline rails! 

Some photos of today's event:

Did any of our other Nashville forum members turn out for the 576 on home rails today? Please share your photos!

Nice ! Always good to see a steamer going to a good home. Congrats !!

certiantly a milestone having CSX willing to move the 576. It wasn't that long ago they wouldn't let WM 734 on their rais for a short move. Thank You CSX!

The project team, led by the very capable Shane Meador, was very careful to service the locomotive and tender's brake systems and perform the necessary tests required by CSX prior to the move. A spirit of cooperation prevailed in both camps!