URHS has officially closed on the sale of F7s 576 and 578 to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

“These locomotives deserved better,” said URHS President Kevin Phalon. “We couldn’t be happier to find a more loving home for these locomotives to live out the next chapter in their story.”

During the past several years, these locomotives have been stranded in Mississippi following the bankruptcy of Iowa Pacific. These formerly URHS-owned locomotives were leased to Iowa Pacific with the expectation and obligation that they would be restored to operation. Instead, IPH abandoned the locomotives in Mississippi after selling the railroad upon which they sat. In the years since, they have fallen victim to vandalism.

Because these engines were not core to the URHS collection, they were listed for sale. URHS was lucky to connect with TVRM, who has plans to restore them to operation. These engines served URHS well for many years, and URHS is confident that their best days are ahead at their new home.