How were groups able to lease/get donated/purchase steam locomotives that are owned by municipalities? Obviously a steam loco is irreplaceable so I can see how they could be reluctant to let it go. How were the different groups able to convince them into a long term commitment with the uncertainty of the volume of donations? What are the details of the deals that have happened?

Surely in many cases the cities had not maintained them and they'd become rusted, asbestos-laden eyesores with much liability risk so the cities were only too happy to see them find another home without the controversy of calling in the scrappers.

Steve

I'm assuming you mean operating steam locomotives?
Ex-CNR #2141 is owned by the city of Kamloops, British Columbia, but a group restored it to operating condition over 10 years ago now. They are currently in the middle of another rebuild.
You can contact them through the Kamloops Heritage Railway website at http://www.kamrail.com/ or on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KamRail .