Actually, the first hurdle will be to get the townspeople behind the idea of "loosing" "their" locomotive. PLA tried to obtain her some 20 years ago, and the Friends of the 1727 supported the idea, but the town's old-timers didn't.
There are many dreams and possibilities, but yes, where will she run. SP was open to occasional runs, IF. . . . So one dream was (still is, sorta) to move her to the Mallet Sheds for rebuilding, and rebuild 4 stalls of the roundhouse to keep her and 3 Harriman coaches & a small museum.
But back to reality & Faith. "Faith" is a belief not supported by logic or evidence. Faith is what led a group to preserve the Chama to Antinito line. Faith is what led the Friends to form a new corporation and keep the line open this past year.
I have had faith since I was younger than a teenager that 1727 will be under steam again. Sometimes that faith wanes, but it has always returned. The first move to that end, as I see it, is to make popular the idea to "Free 1727."
Only until the possibility of that happens can any plan of operation go forward.
S'
David Dewey