CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum announced this week that former Southern Railway No. 4501 will not appear in its passenger green paint until May 23. Originally, the paint project was to be completed by May 9, but weather and other uncontrollable circumstances have caused the delay, according to a museum Facebook post.
“While the area has certainly needed the rain, our practice of finishing rolling stock projects outside in the weather has delayed the steps to complete the engine and ensure it being available in time,” said the museum post. “This situation underscores TVRM’s efforts to secure funding to construct an indoor finishing facility so that this work can continue interrupted by weather.”
In February, TVRM announced that No. 4501 would emerge from its annual inspection wearing the classic Southern Railway green and silver passenger livery. The fresh paint will mark the museum’s 65th anniversary and the 115th birthday of No. 4501. The locomotive will be returned to basic black in 2027.
At the same time TVRM announced plans and launched a fundraising campaign for the finishing facility. Plans call for a climate-controlled, 40- by 100-foot building with a 24-foot high ceiling to be located adjacent to the museum’s main shop in East Chattanooga. When completed the facility will support work on a number of full-paint restorations, including Frisco No. 200, Southern Railway dining car No. 3158, baggage car No. 3850, and Central of Georgia combine No. 390. The construction timeline is yet to be set and is dependent on fundraising…