After seven years of work to relocate 1940s 4-8-4 steam locomotive No. 576 from static display in Centennial Park and revamp it into a regional tourist attraction, the end is almost in sight and caretakers Nashville Steam Preservation Society, Inc. has launched a new matching campaign to raise $350,000 to finish the job.

The new LAST MILE CAMPAIGN is made possible by $100,000 in matching funds from the Walter Ferguson Charitable Trust and $75,000 from The Right Track Foundation. With these matches, all donations of $576 or more will be matched, dollar-for-dollar. While gifts of any size are welcome, Nashville Steam is hopeful to reach this matching goal campaign this year and also anticipates other special matching opportunities and amounts to be announced later in 2023.

Donations can be made online at nashvillesteam.org or mailed to Nashville Steam, 220 Willow Street, Nashville, Tennessee, 37210.

Prior fundraising efforts helped raise over two million dollars for the relocation and specialized mechanical work necessary to repair 576 to operating condition. Components of 576 have traveled to machine shops in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, while the bulk of ongoing repair work has been conducted largely by volunteers. In addition, the overhaul has been supported by Music City legends such as Marty Stuart, Old Crow Medicine Show, Harry Stinson, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Rhonda Vincent among others.

When completed, the locomotive will undergo testing, and trial runs, and eventually operate on passenger excursion trains. Efforts have long been underway to model Nashville Steam’s business plan after proven attractions elsewhere in the United States, where similar heritage tourism offerings and historic train rides can bring anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 visitors, or more, per year.

-via Press Release