Arkansas Railroad Museum facts for kids
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St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Steam Locomotive 336
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| Location | 1700 Port Road Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
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| Type | Railroad museum |
The Arkansas Railroad Museum is a cool place to visit in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It's located at the old Cotton Belt train yard.
This museum is inside the former Cotton Belt train shops. It has one of the biggest collections of old railroad equipment in Arkansas! The museum is run by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society and local volunteers. You can visit Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM. On Sunday afternoons, you can visit by making an appointment.
Contents
Famous Trains and Equipment
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St. Louis Southwestern Railway Steam Locomotive #819
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1720 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
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| Built | 1943 |
| Architect | St. Louis Southwestern Railway |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000401 |
| Added to NRHP | May 18, 2003 |
The Arkansas Railroad Museum is most famous for its special steam locomotive, SSW #819. This was the very last steam engine built by the Cotton Belt railroad.
The #819 was fully fixed up and running again in 1986. It went on 13 special trips between 1986 and 1993. Right now, it's not running because it needs more repairs. The #819 is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum also has a collection of old passenger cars. These cars were used with the #819 on its trips.
Other Historic Locomotives
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St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Steam Locomotive #336
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| Location | 1700 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
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| Built | 1909 |
| Architect | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001276 |
| Added to NRHP | January 24, 2007 |
Another important train at the museum is Cotton Belt #336. This steam engine was built in 1909. It's currently being fixed up to look nice again. Like the #819, this locomotive is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cotton Belt Relief Train
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St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train
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| Location | 1700 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
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| Built | 1940 |
| Architect | Industrial Brownhoist |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000471 |
| Added to NRHP | May 25, 2007 |
The museum also has a special group of cars called the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train. This train was used to help out during emergencies on the railroad. It's also listed on the National Register.
The Relief Train includes:
- SSW 96005: A huge 200-ton steam crane used for lifting heavy things.
- SSWMW 5682: A car that carried the crane's boom (the long arm).
- SSWMW 98501: A flat car with a generator for power.
- SSWMW 94129: A kitchen car where the crew could eat.
- SSWMW 96216: A tool car filled with equipment.
- SSWMW 96209: A crew sleeper car where workers could rest.
More Trains to See
The museum has many other interesting pieces of railroad equipment, including:
- Union Pacific 2907 – An Alco C-630 locomotive.
- Lake Superior and Ishpeming 2300 – A GE U23C locomotive.
- Cotton Belt 5006 – An EMD GP30 locomotive.
- Little Rock and Western #102 – An Alco C420 locomotive.
- KLIX #2003 – An EMD GP20 locomotive.
- Rescar GE 25-tonner – A small engine.
- West Tennessee #2054 – An ALCO RSD-12 locomotive.
- AT&SF 843 – An Alco RSD-15 locomotive.
- Wabash Alloys GE 25-tonner – Also on the National Register.
- The tender (water and fuel car) from SSW 814, a sister engine to SSW 819.
- A 1942 Tool Car, which was once a baggage car.
- A 1944 Power Car, also a former baggage car.
- G56 Guard Car – An old hospital car from World War II, listed on the National Register.
- SN87 Jordan Snow Plow – A snow plow used by the U.S. Army, also on the National Register.
- 1947 Apple Blossom – A passenger car.
- SSW 2214 – A wooden caboose.
- SSW 83 – A caboose with bay windows.
- SP 125 – Another bay window caboose built in 1966.
- AM 1410 – A large refrigerated car.
- 3480 Pegasus Baggage Dorm – A special passenger car.
- CBHS 819336 – A tank car.
The Museum Building
Most of the museum's equipment is kept inside the old Cotton Belt shops. This was once the main place where the Cotton Belt railroad fixed and built its steam engines. The shop has cool features like deep pits under the tracks. It also has huge overhead cranes and special tools for working on big trains.
On one side of the shops, there's a "transfer table." This is like a giant elevator that moves trains from one track to another. It's still working and is used to move the exhibits around sometimes. The best time to see many of the exhibits outside is during the museum's annual show. This show usually happens on the first weekend of April (unless it's Easter weekend). During the show, many trains are moved outside. This makes space inside for vendors to set up tables.
