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Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis 576

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Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis 576
NC&StL No. 576 on static display at the Centennial Park in December 2008
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerClarence M. Darden
BuilderALCO's Schenectady Works
Serial number69786
Build dateAugust 1942
Rebuild date2019–ongoing
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-8-4
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.70 in (1,778 mm)
Minimum curve19°
WheelbaseOverall: 86 ft 6 in (26,365 mm)
Height15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Axle load66,622.5 lb (30,219.5 kilograms; 30.2195 metric tons)
Adhesive weight228,000 lb (103,000 kg)
Loco weight400,500 lb (181,700 kg)
Tender weight285,000 lb (129,000 kg)
Total weight685,500 lb (310,900 kg)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity36,000 lb (16 tonnes)
Water cap.15,000 US gal (57,000 L; 12,000 imp gal)
Fuel consumption4 t (3.9 long tons; 4.4 short tons) of coal per hour
7,000 US gallons (26,000 L) of water per hour
Firebox:​
 • Grate area77.30 sq ft (7.2 m2)
Boiler pressure250 psi (1.72 MPa)
Feedwater heaterWorthington Type SA
9,000 US gal/hr cap
SuperheaterElesco Type E
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size25 in × 30 in (635 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed90–110 mph (145–177 km/h)
Power outputEstimated 4,000 hp (3,000 kW)
Tractive effort57,000 lbf (253.5 kN)
Factor of adh.4.01
Career
Operators
Class
  • J3-57
Number in class7 of 20
Numbers
  • NCSt&L 576
Nicknames
  • "Yellow Jacket"
  • "The Stripe"
LocaleTennessee
First runAugust 18, 1942
RetiredSeptember 2, 1952
PreservedSeptember 20, 1953
Current owner
DispositionUndergoing restoration to operating condition
References:[1][2][3]

Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis 576 is a 4-8-4 "Dixie" (Northern) type steam locomotive built in August 1942 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York, for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway (NC&StL). The locomotive was part of the technologically advanced J3 class.

During World War II, the J3s hauled heavy freight and troop trains. After the war, they were used in freight and passenger service until the early 1950s, when dwindling traffic and the onset of dieselization led to their retirement and scrapping by early 1952. The sole survivor—indeed, the only surviving NC&StL steam locomotive—was No. 576, which was donated to the City of Nashville, Tennessee, and put on display at the Centennial Park.

In 2019, No. 576 was moved to the Tennessee Central Railway Museum (TCRM), where it is being restored to operating condition by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society (NSPS) for use in excursion service on the shortline Nashville and Eastern Railroad. The restoration work is expected to be complete by early 2025.

History

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Design and appearance

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During World War II, the NC&StL found itself unable to order more diesel locomotives to handle the increased passenger traffic.[2] Officials decided to go for steam power; they accepted a proposal by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for a streamlined 4-8-4 J3 locomotive similar to the Norfolk and Western J class locomotives, (a design rejected by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) as too expensive).[2]

The NC&StL's Superintendent of Machinery, Clarence M. Darden, designed ten J3 (Nos. 570-579) locomotives delivered between July and August 1942 from ALCO in a non-streamlined design with yellow skirting panels, a bullet nose cone, boxpok drivers, and a large semi-Vanderbilt tender holding 16 tonnes (16,000 kg) of coal and 15,000 US gallons (57,000 L) of water.[2][4] Although other railroads called their 4-8-4s the Northerns, the J3s were nicknamed Dixies.[2] They each consumed 4 short tons (8,000 lb) of coal and 7,000 US gallons (26,000 L) of water per hour.[1]

The NC&StL locomotive crews nicknamed the J3s as the Yellow Jackets after to their yellow skirting.[2] In 1943, ALCO built ten more J3s (Nos. 580-589); wartime restrictions prevented the yellow skirting, so their running board edges were painted yellow and these locomotives were dubbed Stripes.[4][5] In 1947, the skirting was removed from the 1942 J3 locomotives for easier maintenance, and the bullet nose cones were removed on all of the J3s.[2]

Revenue service and retirement

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No. 576 was built at a cost of $166,500 and delivered to the NC&StL Railway, which put it into revenue service on August 18, 1942.[1] Along with the other J3s, No. 576 helped move arms, materiel, and troops during the rapid buildup and mobilization of the American war effort during World War II.[2] They initially ran only between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, because at 100 feet long, they could not fit on the 90-foot turntables in Atlanta, Georgia[4] until 110-foot ones were installed.[2]

When the war ended in 1945, the J3s were reassigned to dual freight and passenger service, in which they ran between Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, via Bruceton and Martin.[4][6] They also worked in Cowan, Tennessee, banking trains up in the Cumberland Mountains.[4][7] The J3s ran up to 11,000 miles (18,000 km) per month.[2] As the NC&StL began to dieselize, the J3s were retired and scrapped between 1951 and 1952. The lone exception was No. 576, which was chosen for preservation and donated to the City of Nashville, where it was put on display at the Centennial Park on September 20, 1953.[1][8][9]

Restoration

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Attempts to restore No. 576 to operating condition were first made in late 1978, when the Clinchfield Railroad (CRR) hosted a steam excursion program, using 4-6-0 No. 1, and they were in search of a larger locomotive to expand the program at the request of the Family Lines.[10][11] The CRR's general manager, Thomas D. Moore Jr., and Louisville and Nashville executive Colonel Philip Hooper negotiated with the Nashville Board of Parks and Recreation to lease and restore No. 576, but the board decided against their proposal.[10][11][12]

In late May 1979, the Nashville board changed their minds, and they re-entered negotiations with the CRR to lease and restore No. 576, but to no avail; by that time, the Family Lines had cancelled the steam program after Thomas Moore was accused of participating in a scandal.[11][13] In 2001, a new proposal to restore No. 576 was made, but the Nashville Board of Parks and Recreation at the time denied it.[1] In 2004, a shelter shed was built over the No. 576 locomotive to protect it from weather.[14]

In April 2016, the new Nashville Steam Preservation Society (NSPS) proposed to restore No. 576 and run it on the shortline Nashville and Eastern Railroad (NERR), pulling the Tennessee Central Railway Museum's (TCRM) excursions.[1][15] Two months later, the Nashville Board of Parks and Recreation approved the lease of No. 576 to NSPS.[16] In April 2017, the NSPS volunteers found No. 576's boiler in good condition.[17] By October 2018, the NSPS had raised $500,000 to move No. 576 to the TCRM's restoration facility[18] and begin a restoration effort projected to cost a total of $2.5 million.[19]

On January 13, 2019, the No. 576 locomotive was moved from Centennial Park on a flatbed truck. It was placed on the Nashville & Western rails on February 6, where it was prepared to be moved to CSX trackage.[20][21] The No. 576 locomotive made its final public appearance at the former Nashville Union Station on March 9, 2019, and the next day, moved to the TCRM's workshop where restoration work began.[22][23] In June 2019, the NSPS received two boxcars from CSX to store restoration equipment and materials.[24] During the work, a new cab was fabricated from scratch to replace the deteriorated original.[25] No. 576's whistle was temporarily used on the Nickel Plate Road 765 locomotive.[26]

On March 25, 2021, a storm damaged the TCRM restoration facility, but No. 576 was found to be undamaged.[27][28] The workshop was quickly rebuilt, and the restoration work resumed.[29] On April 15, Trains magazine donated $600,000 to the NSPS to renovate No. 576's driving wheels and trucks. The boiler required hydrostatic testing.[30] On June 17, 2021, No. 576's boiler and frame were removed from its wheels and running gear.[31][32] The driving wheels were repaired at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[31] On July 12, 2023, the reassembly of No. 576 began.[33] In October 2023, TVRM donated a former NC&STL tender to NSPS, which would restore and convert to an auxiliary water tender for use behind No. 576.[34]

The restoration of No. 576 is expected to be completed in early 2025.[32][35]

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  • September 16, 2016: No. 576 is repainted at its Centennial Park display site by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society.
    September 16, 2016: No. 576 is repainted at its Centennial Park display site by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society.
  • October 14, 2016: No. 576 on display with light and smoke effects during an event mounted by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society to fund its restoration.
    October 14, 2016: No. 576 on display with light and smoke effects during an event mounted by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society to fund its restoration.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Ibata, David (April 26, 2016). "Team to restore a 'Dixie' 4-8-4". Trains. Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Morgan, David P. (December 1963). "Gliders, Yellow Jackets, and Stripes". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Prince (2001), p. 119.
  4. ^ a b c d e Prince (2001), p. 125.
  5. ^ Drury (2015), p. 228.
  6. ^ "A Brief History Of #576". NC&StL Preservation Society. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Prince (2001), pp. 185–187.
  8. ^ "Challenge Coin, Centennial Park Commemorative". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  9. ^ Huddleston, Edwin (September 28, 1953). "Rails Now Lead To Memory Land, But Engine 576, Pilot Still Are Going Strong". Nashville Banner. p. 17. Retrieved December 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "News & Editorial Comment - Tom's new engine". Trains. Vol. 39, no. 8. Kalmbach Publishing. June 1979. p. 12. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "News & Editorial Comment - The Clinchfield Conclusion". Trains. Vol. 39, no. 12. Kalmbach Publishing. October 1979. pp. 3–4. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "News & Editorial Comment - NC&StL 576…another miracle?". Trains. Vol. 39, no. 3. Kalmbach Publishing. January 1979. pp. 3–4, 7. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "Arrivals & Departures - Clinchfield Commotion". Trains. Vol. 39, no. 10. Kalmbach Publishing. August 1979. p. 12. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  14. ^ Moriarty, Megan (January 30, 2004). "Park Train To Get Protection". The Nashville City Paper. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. ^ Wrinn, Jim (April 15, 2016). "NC&StL No. 576 Proposed Restoration Announcement". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Park Board Approves Lease of No. 576". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. June 7, 2016. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  17. ^ Bryan, Joey (April 2, 2017). "NSPS Performs Boiler Inspection, Pleased with Condition". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  18. ^ Bryan, Joey (October 11, 2018). "NSPS Steam Reaches Initial Fundraising Goal". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  19. ^ "Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis Number 576". Tennessee Central Railway Museum. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  20. ^ Bryan, Joey (December 13, 2018). "No. 576 to Leave Centennial Park on January 13th!". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Bryan, Joey (February 6, 2019). "No. 576 Move Out of Centennial Park A Success!". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  22. ^ Hilt, Eric (March 10, 2019). "Locomotive No. 576 moves to old home". WTVF. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  23. ^ "Historic steam train arrives at Nashville museum for restoration". WKRN-TV. March 11, 2019. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  24. ^ Bryan, Joey (June 17, 2019). "CSX Donates Two Boxcars for 576 Restoration". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  25. ^ Bryan, Joey (March 2021). "Nashville Steam Preservation Society - NSPS - 576 Update" (PDF). The Order Board. Vol. 41, no. 3. Tennessee Central Railway Museum. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  26. ^ Bryan, Joey (November 2021). "Nashville Steam Preservation Society NSPS - 576 Update" (PDF). The Order Board. Vol. 41, no. 11. Tennessee Central Railway Museum & Model Railroad Club Nashville Chapter NRHS. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  27. ^ "Nashville Steam facility, museum damaged by violent storm". Trains. Kalmbach Media. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  28. ^ Overdeep, Meghan (March 30, 2021). "Steam Shop Restoring Historic Nashville Train Suffers Serious Damage in Storm". Southern Living. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  29. ^ Nolan, Davis (April 21, 2021). "Restoration of Old Locomotive 576 resumes after March storm damage". WKRN-TV. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  30. ^ Bryan, Joey (April 15, 2021). "Trains Magazine Announces Nashville Steam as the Next Preservation Partner". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Bryan, Joey (June 17, 2021). "NSPS Completes Engine Lift and Wheel Removal". Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  32. ^ a b Freeman, WaTeasa (June 18, 2021). "Progress continues to restore former Centennial Park locomotive to operation". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  33. ^ "Nashville Steam Begins to Reassemble NC&StL 576". Railfan & Railroad. White River Productions. July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  34. ^ "Bestowing a Legacy: Gifting the NC&STL Tender from Our Collection". Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. October 18, 2023. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  35. ^ "Nashville Steam launches matching campaign to complete restoration of No. 576". Trains. Kalmbach Media. March 1, 2023. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.

Bibliography

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