Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum in Cleveland, Mississippi
Railroad museumFree
The City of Cleveland's Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum tells how railroads opened up the Mississippi Delta, and it does it with the largest O-gauge model railroad in Mississippi and a 1941 caboose you can walk into.
- Free admission
- Largest O-gauge layout in Mississippi
- 1941 Illinois Central caboose
- Layout measures 71 by 17 feet
- Groups welcome
- Open six days a week
Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm; Saturday 1 pm to 4 pm
- Admission
- Free
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Families with young train fans and groups
- Best ages
- Ages 3 and up
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Cleveland.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
How feeder lines woke up the Delta
Before the railroads, much of the Mississippi Delta was thick forest and heavy cane, a region one writer in the Illinois Central Historical Society's Green Diamond described as looking untouched by human feet. What changed it was the building of short feeder lines into this rich cotton country. The rails brought people, trade and towns, and Cleveland was one of them.
The City of Cleveland created its Railroad Heritage Museum to preserve and share that history and to show how the railroad shaped the founding, growth and development of Cleveland, Bolivar County and the wider Delta. The museum carries the names of Martin and Sue King and sits in Historic Downtown Cleveland.
Its collection covers the working side of railroading as much as the trains. Tools used by the track crews known as Gandy Dancers sit alongside the timetables and schedules that once ran depots and railroad offices. Beside the building sits a 1941 caboose built for the Illinois Central, and inside is what the museum calls the largest O-gauge model train layout in Mississippi, a layout that keeps changing over time. The museum is run by the city under director Anna Sledge, and it remains free to visit.
Anytown, Mississippi in O gauge
Most families head straight for the model railroad. At 71 feet by 17 feet, the O-gauge layout depicts "Anytown," Mississippi, somewhere between the 1940s and the 1960s, with small-town life and the countryside built around the railroad. The museum describes it as detailed, true to history and always changing, so return visitors often find something new.
Around the layout, display cases hold the tools of the Gandy Dancers who laid and maintained track, plus timetables, schedules and other paper from the depots and offices of the Delta's railroads. Visit Mississippi includes the museum in its roundup of fun train museums in the state and ties its exhibits to the wider story of the Delta, from its food to the Mississippi Blues Trail.
Step outside to the 1941 caboose, built for the Illinois Central in Centralia, Illinois. It keeps its original offset cupola, sliding wooden doors, cast iron stove, water fountain, gauges and brake controls, and it is open to the public during museum hours.
Don’t miss
- The O-gauge layoutAt 71 by 17 feet, it is the largest O-gauge model train layout in Mississippi, showing a Delta town from the 1940s to the 1960s.
- The 1941 Illinois Central cabooseBuilt in Centralia, Illinois, it still has its offset cupola, cast iron stove and brake controls, and visitors can go inside.
- Gandy Dancer toolsThe hand tools of the track crews who built and maintained the Delta's rail lines.
- Depot timetables and schedulesPaper records from the depots and railroad offices that once kept Delta trains on time.
Model trains, a caboose and no ticket price
This is an easy yes for families with young train fans. The big model layout is at eye level for most school-age kids, there is a real caboose to walk into with a stove and brake controls to look at, and since admission is free, it is fine to keep the visit short if little ones lose interest.
The museum welcomes groups, which makes it a good choice for a school or scout trip in the Delta. Call 662-843-3377 ahead if you are bringing a large group so staff can plan for you.
Plan your visit: tips for Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum
- Saturday hours are afternoon only, 1 pm to 4 pm.
- The caboose is open only during museum hours.
- Groups are welcome; call 662-843-3377 ahead.
- The layout changes over time, so it is worth a repeat visit.
A city museum with a dedicated director
The museum is a department of the City of Cleveland, led by director Anna Sledge. Because admission is free, the best ways to support it are to visit, bring a group, tell friends traveling through the Delta, and contact the museum at 662-843-3377 if you have railroad artifacts or stories to share.
Rail history beyond Cleveland
The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum is about 68 miles east, and across the river the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff is about 80 miles away. Heading south, the model railroad at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Jackson is about 103 miles. For more, see Mississippi's train museums.
- Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad MuseumWater Valley, MS · about 68 mi
- Arkansas Railroad MuseumPine Bluff, AR · about 80 mi
- Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum railroad exhibitsJackson, MS · about 103 mi
- Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum / historic collectionsMemphis, TN · about 104 mi
- Memphis Area Transit Authority vintage trolley systemMemphis, TN · about 104 mi
- Missouri Pacific Depot MuseumNewport, AR · about 132 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The 1941 caboose in Cleveland still has its offset cupola, the little raised lookout on the roof. I can picture a child climbing up to peek out, like Rally at the arched window in our book, watching the ocean go by and greeting a white bird. My kids are learning to read now, and spotting small things out a window is half the fun of any train ride.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Mississippi: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Mississippi
- Halloween train rides in Mississippi
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Cleveland Railroad Heritage Museum: 20 questions families ask
Where is the railroad museum in Cleveland, Mississippi?
The Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum is at 115 S Bayou Road in Cleveland, Mississippi 38732, in Historic Downtown Cleveland. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 1439, Cleveland, MS 38732. Call 662-843-3377 if you need directions.
Is the Cleveland, MS railroad museum free?
Yes. As of October 2026, the City of Cleveland's Railroad Heritage Museum charges no admission fee, and groups are welcome. That makes it an easy stop for families traveling through the Mississippi Delta, even if you only have an hour to spare.
What are the Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 1 pm to 4 pm. Sunday hours are not listed. Call 662-843-3377 to confirm before you go, especially around holidays.
How big is the model train layout at the Cleveland railroad museum?
The O-gauge layout measures 71 feet by 17 feet, and the museum says it is the largest O-gauge model train layout in Mississippi. It depicts "Anytown," Mississippi, between the 1940s and the 1960s, with small-town life and countryside built around the railroad, and it keeps changing over time.
Can you go inside the caboose at the Cleveland railroad museum?
Yes. The 1941 caboose beside the museum is open to the public during museum hours. Built for the Illinois Central Railroad in Centralia, Illinois, it still has its offset cupola, sliding wooden doors, cast iron stove, water fountain, gauges and brake controls, and items are displayed inside.
What is in the Mississippi Delta railroad history exhibits in Cleveland?
The museum's exhibits trace how railroads shaped Cleveland, Bolivar County and the Delta. They include tools used by the track crews called Gandy Dancers, timetables and schedules from depots and railroad offices, artifacts and documents about the Delta's rail lines, the big O-gauge layout, and the 1941 caboose.
Who were the Gandy Dancers?
Gandy Dancers were the railroad track crews who laid and maintained the rails by hand. The Cleveland Railroad Heritage Museum displays tools these crews used, giving visitors a look at the hard physical work behind the Delta's railroads, not just the trains.
Why is it called the Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum?
The City of Cleveland's railroad museum carries the names of Martin and Sue King. The city's page does not tell their story online, so ask the staff when you visit or call 662-843-3377 to learn more about the people the museum honors.
What is the goal of the Cleveland Railroad Heritage Museum?
Its goal is to preserve and promote the history and culture of the railroad and its impact on the establishment, growth and development of Cleveland, Bolivar County and the Delta region. The exhibits focus on how feeder rail lines opened up the Delta's cotton country.
How did railroads change the Mississippi Delta?
Much of the Delta was once covered in forest and heavy cane and largely undeveloped. Building feeder rail lines into this rich cotton region brought people, trade and new towns, which the museum explains through artifacts and documents from the Delta's railroads, from track tools to depot timetables.
Is the Cleveland railroad museum good for toddlers?
Yes, for short visits. Toddlers and preschoolers usually love watching the large model layout, and the caboose gives them something real to explore. Since admission is free, you can leave as soon as little ones are done without feeling you have wasted a ticket.
Can school groups visit the Cleveland, MS railroad museum?
Yes. The museum says groups are welcome, and with no admission fee it is a practical field trip in the Delta. Call 662-843-3377 to schedule a visit, or email director Anna Sledge through the City of Cleveland's website.
How long does a visit to the Cleveland railroad museum take?
Plan on about an hour to see the model railroad, read the exhibits and walk through the caboose. Model railroaders who want to study the layout's details may want longer, and families with toddlers may finish sooner.
Who runs the railroad museum in Cleveland, Mississippi?
The City of Cleveland runs the Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum as one of its departments, with Anna Sledge as director. The museum's page is part of the city's official website, and its phone number is 662-843-3377.
Can you ride a train at the Cleveland railroad museum?
No rides are offered at the Cleveland Railroad Heritage Museum. The hands-on highlights are the large O-gauge model railroad and the walk-through 1941 Illinois Central caboose, which together make a good outing for young train fans without a ride.
What era does the Cleveland model railroad show?
The O-gauge layout represents an era between the 1940s and the 1960s in "Anytown," Mississippi. It includes just about every facet of small-town life and the countryside that grew up around the railroad, which makes it a good conversation starter between grandparents and grandchildren.
Is the Cleveland railroad museum open on Saturdays?
Yes, in the afternoon. As of October 2026, Saturday hours are 1 pm to 4 pm, shorter than the 9 am to 4 pm weekday hours. If you are planning a weekend trip through the Delta, aim for the afternoon and call ahead to confirm.
Where was the Cleveland museum's caboose built?
The museum's 1941 caboose was built for the Illinois Central Railroad in Centralia, Illinois. It keeps original features such as the offset cupola, sliding wooden doors and cast iron stove, which help children picture how crews lived and worked at the back of the train.
Can I donate railroad items to the Cleveland Railroad Heritage Museum?
The museum does not post a donation policy online. If you have railroad tools, timetables, photographs or other Delta railroad items, call the museum at 662-843-3377 or email director Anna Sledge to ask whether they would fit the collection.
What train museums are near Cleveland, Mississippi?
The Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum is about 68 miles away, the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff about 80 miles, and the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Jackson about 103 miles. The Memphis rail sites are also about 104 miles north.
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