The Nashville Steam Preservation Society has negotiated a long term lease on the sole surviving Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Dixie Class J3 #576. The second lightest standard gauge 4-8-4 built in the US is in remarkable condition despite its having sat in Nashville's Centennial Park for some 63 years exposed to the elements. Designed here in Nashville by Clarence Darden, then chief mechanical officer of the NC&StL, this semi-streamlined loco was built at the ALCO Schenectedy Works. Twenty of these War babies were delivered starting in 1942, and they served reliably in both wartime freight and troop train service with quick turn around times and with minimal maintenance. The 570 series came with a wide yellow running board stripe and were dubbed "yellow jackets" while the 580 series had no skirting due to wartime economies, but the running boards were subsequently painted yellow and were called "stripes". The goal of the Society is to continue to raise funds for removal from the park for restoration at or near the Tennessee Central Railway Museum and for eventual operation on the Nashville and Eastern Railroad in excursion service.
This engine, like the N&W Class J, has 70" drivers with lateral motion wheelsets on two pairs of drivers and sports a one piece Commonwealth cast bed frame with integral main reservoirs, cylinders and smoke box saddle. By design, most piping is hidden and not secured to the boiler but rather supported by hangers attached to the frame. All wheels, including the tender have roller bearings. Unlike the N&W J's, the Dixie J3 does not have roller bearings on the side rods.
This project will move forward as donations mount and we railfans in Nashville and elsewhere are excited about seeing this other J in steam and back in service!
Oh well! Maybe I'll get lucky and it will be able to come up here (Cleveland, Ohio) under it's own power sooner rather than later! 
