SP #786's tender sits on a yard track at the Austin Steam Train Association yard in Cedar Park.
Over 25 years after the initial sidelining of #786, plans are actually beginning to come together for a return to steam. Recently, ASTA hired seasoned steam rebuilders FMW Solutions to inspect the locomotive and put together a plan for restoration and final assembly. ASTA volunteers have kept the parts in good shape over the past 25 years, and significant portions of the locomotive have already been fully rebuilt. As with most restoration projects, the biggest constraint is funding. ASTA is gearing up for a capital fundraising campaign, which will hopefully bring this project closer to fruition than its been at any point in the past 25 years.
If you'd like to see an SP Mikado back in steam in central Texas, you can support the 786 restoration here: https://secure.austinsteamtrain.org/forms/donate-786
