Festivities for Nashville Steam’s “Next Stop: Union Station” at Nashville Union Station will begin at 11 a.m. and run until 3:30 p.m. and will include photo opportunities, informational exhibits, and pop-up history lessons throughout the day. The public is encouraged to attend the free event, which will take place in the parking lot behind Union Station, the former site of the train shed. Around noon, the former Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway 4-8-4 No. 576, nicknamed “The Stripe,” is anticipated to arrive by rail for the first time in 65 years.
“This is the first time the Stripe has been to Union Station since 1952,” says Nashville Steam Communications Manager Joey Bryan, “and we want to celebrate this grand reunion of two local landmarks that helped build Nashville into the city it is today.”
The event — a joint effort between Nashville Steam, CSX Transportation, Metro Nashville Parks, and other sponsors — will take place during 576’s move from the Nashville & Western Railroad to the Tennessee Central Railway Museum, where the locomotive will be restored to running order. CSX will tow No. 576 into Union Station, where it will be staged in view of the public for photo opportunities.
“CSX is proud to support preservation efforts in communities where the railroad has a rich history and remains a vital part of the economy even today. We are dedicated to honoring that heritage and excited to partner with the Nashville Steam Preservation Society to transport No. 576 to Union Station,” said Eric Hendrickson, CSX Director of Network Planning.
The 576, a “Dixie”-type steam locomotive, was built in 1942 to help support the war effort for World War II. It was retired in the 1950s and donated to the city of Nashville and placed on display in the city’s Centennial Park. The locomotive was moved by truck from the park in January as part of a $2 million-effort to eventually return the engine to running order for passenger excursion service. Nashville steam was recently awarded a $200,000 challenge grant from the Candelaria Fund for the restoration effort.
“This is a chance to see The Stripe back on home rails for the first time in many years, against the historic backdrop of Union Station, as it begins the next chapter of its life in service to our great city,” says Nashville Steam President Shane Meador. More information is available at www.nashvillesteam.org .
