Nashville Steam Successfully Lifts No. 576,
Removes Wheels for Refurbishment
Thanks to help from project sponsor Clark Crane, FMW Solutions, and Nashville Steam volunteers, No. 576 is one major step closer to returning to operation. After a few weeks of prep work, two cranes lifted the 220,000-lb steam engine approximately ten feet in the air to provide enough clearance to remove the wheels for inspections and repairs. The whole process took a little less than 3 hours. “We can’t thank Clark Crane enough for their help and support in lifting No. 576,” said Nashville Steam Communications Manager Joey Bryan, “their expertise and attention to details made the whole experience very easy.”
While the locomotive was airborne, the trailing truck, driver wheels, and pilot wheels were removed one at a time. Each driver wheel was dragged using a telehandler rather than rolled due to the lack of side rods acting as a balance to the counterweights. The engine was then lowered onto four steel pedestals. The driver wheels will be sent to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga where they have the special machinery needed and FMW Solutions will perform the repairs and needed maintenance.