What’s changed in the last 15 years? In 2001, Meador says, “the Music City Star (commuter service) hadn’t happened yet, so the Nashville & Eastern was not capable of supporting the operations of a large steam locomotive.”

Also, the parks board today has a deadline to move 576 somewhere so it can start a major renovation of Centennial Park. Nashville’s historic riverfront has become both a popular tourist draw and home to Riverfront Station, where excursion trains would depart.

Most important, Meador says, “We have the people with the technical skills to make this happen, people who have been involved with over 30 successful steam locomotive restoration projects around the country.”

I'd be concerned about the condition of the boiler considering how long the locomotive has been out in the elements with it's asbestos lagging.

It's under a shed, and I believe it has been for its entire time in the park.

Since nobody has shared this here yet.

http://www.Nashvillesteam.org

Seeing this photo on the groups website of 576 on a steam era freight got me to wondering if the photo might possibly one day be replicated if 576 is indeed restored. The car behind the Dixie's tank is a B&O twin bay coal hopper which and I believe at least one of these might survive. The next car is a steel box car, possibly Rock Island although I can't quite see the herald. At least one Rock Island box car is in existence. Next comes a New York Central box car, and if the group at the museum at Linden, Indiana moved that car from Greencastle, Indiana as they reported they were going to do, there is that car. Then comes another unidentified box, but perhaps this could be a genuine NC&StL box car itself. At least one such car exists today. Then two unidentified gons followed by at least one ice bunker refrigerator car, of which a number exist in various museums. Hard to come up with all these cars to replicate this freight train photo? Perhaps, but IF the Dixie Lines 4-8-4 is one day restored, such a train would be nice to see.

Les

Update from TRAINS:

Nashville board approves steam locomotive lease to preservation group

Group needs to convince one last board before it can clear all political hurdles to bring 4-8-4 to operating condition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Organizers pushing for a restoration of a famed steam locomotive are beyond one of the last political hurdles to getting the engine on the road to restoration.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the Nashville Steam Preservation Society says the city's Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation met and approved the group's request to move and restore Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 4-8-4 No. 576 to operating condition.

"This was a huge milestone in the history of the locomotive so that future generations can know and experience this wonderful artifact as it was originally intended, under steam," a preservation society representative wrote.

With parks department approval, the group and their desire to lease and restore the engine from the city of Nashville moves to the city legislature, the Metropolitan Council for final approval.