Join Nashville Steam and the Tennessee Central Railway Museum on September 16th for an exclusive…
Joey BryanJuly 5, 2023
Nashville Steam Successfully Lifts No. 576, Removes Wheels for Refurbishment Thanks to help from project…
Joey BryanJune 17, 2021
LEGENDARY STEAM LOCOMOTIVE’S RESTORATION HITS SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WITH LIFT Two Cranes to Lift 220,000-Pound Historic…
Joey BryanJune 10, 2021
The 24-hour donation marathon held each year by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is back…
Joey BryanMay 4, 2021
Trains Launches ‘Steam the Stripe’ Campaign for No. 576 Nashville Steam effort to revive Nashville,…
Joey BryanApril 15, 2021
Follow us on Facebook
We were elated to welcome over 200 guests aboard our fundraiser train last weekend! Passengers got to explore the progress on 576 and explore its future excursion route. Thanks to Tennessee Central Railway Museum, R. J. Corman Railroad Group, The Buntin Group, Visit Music City, and our donors and guests who helped raise over $20,000 in a single evening to bring steam back to Music City!
70 years ago today, our own Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis Railway steam locomotive No. 576 was formally dedicated at its display site in Centennial Park. This ceremony not only saved the locomotive from the scrap yard, but it also transformed a common everyday machine into a beloved Nashville landmark. ![]()
![]()
During the railway's transition from steam to diesel in the early 50s, City Councilman and NC&StL employee Wrenne C. Phelps was in Memphis and saw first hand the impact of the preserved Frisco No. 1351 on the local community. The Frisco had donated the locomotive to Memphis as a monument to the steam era and Phelps felt Nashville needed to follow suit. Phelps worked closely with Bascom F. Jones, a Parks Board member and former NC&StL employee, to make this happen. They reached out to railroad President Hackworth who was supportive of the effort. ![]()
![]()
Whether by choice or by fate, No. 576 was selected to represent the thousands of steam locomotives that had powered the NC&StL Railway since its inception in 1845. Centennial Park was the logical choice for display due its location next to the company's New Shops complex off of Charlotte Pike, allowing for panel tracks to be laid down for easy installation. The City of Nashville allotted $2,500 to construct a display site and the railroad contributed $6,000 to cover the moving costs. A diesel switcher pushed No. 576 into place in the summer of 1953, and the locomotive was formally dedicated on September 20, 1953. Because of the foresight and hard work of these individuals, No. 576 was saved from the torch's flame and set the wheels in motion for the current restoration.
No. 576 wanted to dress up for the party. We couldn’t say no. The Music City Limited Excursion is arriving now!
