The Arkansas Railroad Museum
A massive collection of rail memorabilia
If you plan to take a considered look at all of the railroad memorabilla in the Arkansas Railroad Museum, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, plan for a few days. A few hours will give you a good snack and whet your appetite for more. October 20, 2013 my grandson, Jay and me made a swing through and hit the highlights. To scratch the surface, here are 18 pictures from our visit.
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James Joseph Dempsey and Engine 819, the crown jewel of the museum collection, The engine was built in the building where it sits in the early forties.
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James Joseph Dempsey and paternal grand unit with the 819.
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More of the same.
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Inside the cab of the 819. The skin is off the boiler and the controls are removed but you can get the drift of how the engineers and firemen worked.
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James Joseph Dempsey in the "driver's seat" of a diesel-electric locomotive.
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If you've ever wondered how the "driver's seat" of a diesel-electric locomotive looks, now you know.
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This is a 1953 rail snow plow originally used by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is as big as a small house.
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Looking down the line of cars and locomotives from from the entrance (north) end of the museum.
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Most of the original floor of the museum building was covered with wooden "bricks." When a tool was dropped on the this floor, there was no chance of a spark.
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A close up of the wooden "bricks."
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James Joseph Dempsey with the tripod.
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Engine 819 showing some of the sidem which is marked for x-ray inspection.
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A closer look the the 819 front.
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819, Dempsey and Dempsey in that order.
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Looking from the back of the museum (south end) toward the entrance (north) end.
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Museum collectors have assembled a large selection of virtually anything that had to do with railroad history. The large object in the center is an antique depot stove.
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Here is an old manual telephone switchboard.
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Ditto at a different angle.
James Joseph Dempsey and Engine 819, the crown jewel of the museum collection, The engine was built in the building where it sits in the early forties.