General Info

The Arkansas Railroad Museum exhibits the history of railroading in Arkansas with a special emphasis on the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, more commonly known as the Cotton Belt Railroad. Housed in the Cotton Belt Backshop building, featuring Cotton Belt steam locomotive 819, which was built in this very building in 1942, the last steam locomotive built in Arkansas. Exhibits also include cabooses (cabeese?), passenger cars, freight cars, diesel locomotives, and a large collection of smaller artifacts of railroad history including timetables, tools, telegraph equipment, pictures, and much more. We are open 9 AM to 2 PM Monday through Saturday, but please call ahead if you are bringing a large group or arriving late, we can often accommodate special requests.The Arkansas Railroad Museum exhibits the history of railroading in Arkansas with a special emphasis on the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, more commonly known as the Cotton Belt Railroad. Housed in the Cotton Belt Backshop building, featuring Cotton Belt steam locomotive 819, which was built in this very building in 1942, the last steam locomotive built in Arkansas. Exhibits also include cabooses (cabeese?), passenger cars, freight cars, diesel locomotives, and a large collection of smaller artifacts of railroad history including timetables, tools, telegraph equipment, pictures, and much more. We are open 9 AM to 2 PM Monday through Saturday, but please call ahead if you are bringing a large group or arriving late, we can often accommodate special requests.