Arkansas Railroad Museum

Arkansas Railroad Museum
Location Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Type Displays historic railroad equipment
Website http://arkansasrailroadmuseum.org/

Arkansas Railroad Museum is located on Port Road in Pine Bluff, Arkansas at the former Cotton Belt (SSW) yard.

The former SSW shops are occupied by the historic collection of railroad equipment. This museum is about an hour's drive from Little Rock, AR, and is one of the largest displays of historic railroad equipment in Arkansas. Between the disappearance of SSW in 1992 into parent Southern Pacific and the size of the collection, Arkansas Railroad Museum can be considered an upper-level railroad preservation facility. The Museum is operated by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society and local volunteers. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 3 PM and on Sunday afternoon by appointment.

Specific equipment

St. Louis Southwestern Railway Steam Locomotive #819
Location 1720 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Coordinates 34°13′37″N 91°59′5″W / 34.22694°N 91.98472°W / 34.22694; -91.98472Coordinates: 34°13′37″N 91°59′5″W / 34.22694°N 91.98472°W / 34.22694; -91.98472
Built 1943
Architect St. Louis Southwestern Railway
NRHP Reference #

03000401

[1]
Added to NRHP May 18, 2003

Arkansas Railroad Museum is most famous for stabling SSW #819, the last steam locomotive built by SSW in February 1943. The 819 was restored to operation in 1986. It operated on 13 excursions between 1986 and 1993, but currently needs work. A collection of historical passenger cars, mostly lightweight Pullman-Standard equipment, is also kept for use behind 819. The 819 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Besides the 819 the following list was compiled by Mr. Lyle Smith a volunteer at the Museum. It is accurate as of mid-April 2007.

St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Steam Locomotive #336
Location 1700 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Built 1909
Architect Baldwin Locomotive Works
Architectural style No Style Listed
NRHP Reference #

06001276

[1]
Added to NRHP January 24, 2007

Cotton Belt 336, a D3 Mogul built by Baldwin in 1909, is in poor condition and will be cosmetically restored. This locomotive is also listed on the National Register.

St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train
Location 1700 Port Rd., Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Built 1940
Architect Industrial Brownhoist
NRHP Reference #

07000471

[1]
Added to NRHP May 25, 2007

The following cars are part of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train, also listed on the National Register:[2]

Other equipment at the museum includes:

Facility

The equipment is mostly housed in the former SSW shops, which was the main heavy repair and erection shop for SSW during the steam era. The shop has such heavy repair equipment as pits, massive overhead cranes, and tools for servicing large railroad equipment. On the east side of the former shops is a transfer table that is still operable. The transfer table is used to move exhibits from time to time. The best time to see the exhibits outside is the first weekend in April (unless that weekend is Easter) when the Museum has its annual show. Many of the exhibits are taken outside so that tables can be set up inside the museum for vendors.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Staff (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "Arkansas Historic Preservation Program: St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt Route) Relief Train". Retrieved 2008-11-04.

External links

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