By way of full disclosure: My obvious passion for the 576 project goes back decades, and I was directly involved in two previous efforts to restore the 576. Back in the early 1980's, Bill Purdue, then Master Mechanic, Steam for the Southern Railway, inquired about the possibility of bringing the 576 to the Birmingham Steam Shop in Irondale to be restored as part of the Southern Steam Program. Mr. Purdie and his team even came to Nashville for a cursory inspection of the engine. Some influential Nashvillians, who ironically were also train fans, vigorously opposed the move akin to "stealing our locomotive", and sadly nothing was done. The second attempt involved a wealthy Belle Meade friend who wanted to get a group of his investor friends to back the restoration. The timing could not have been worse, as the horrificly devastating Haitian earthquake occurred halfway into the effort, and all our potential investor funds understandably were diverted to charitable donations towards disaster relief. So, in light of our past frustrating efforts, our present success is very heartening and also personal!
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