I fondly remember climbing on this engine as a kid in Centennial Park in Nashville. I have taken my kids and Grandkids to see it as well over the years.

Now after 65 years on display it has been moved and a ~2 million dollar 4 year restoration has begun with the goal of getting it re-certified and put back in use.

After 3 years of my Smile donations going to Hawk Talk I'm changing to this project.



Link to original video: https://youtu.be/y0mibaaJrAk




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/lcZ-f5zZv-Y

That’s great that they’re doing this.

I visited Centennial Park a number of times in high school and then in college across the street at Vandy. They started raising money for the Athena statue in the Parthenon sometime during that period. I donated a little (that was all I had then) to that effort but never dreamed they would still be able to restore the old steam engine. I hope the restoration is a great success and that they’ll eventually be able to make runs up to the railroad museum in Bowling Green from time to time.