McComb Railroad Depot Museum, Mississippi
Depot museumOpen at a temporary home, 112 Third Street, while the 1901 depot is rebuilt
The McComb Railroad Depot Museum tells the story of a town that the Illinois Central built, from the men of the McComb Shops to the passengers who still catch the train here, and it has kept that story going through a fire that nearly took its 1901 depot.
- Illinois Central depot built in 1901
- Temporary home at 112 Third Street
- Steam locomotive ICRR No. 2542
- Nearly 1,800 artifacts
- Amtrak City of New Orleans stop
McComb Railroad Depot Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Thursday and Friday 10 am to 4 pm; Saturday by appointment
- Admission
- Not posted online; call the museum
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Rail fans and families interested in local history
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to McComb Railroad Depot 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 McComb.
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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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A railroad town's depot, a fire, and a rebuild
McComb grew up around the Illinois Central. For decades the railroad kept major steam and car shops in town, and the Illinois Central built the McComb depot in 1901 as a wooden combination passenger and freight station. The museum's nonprofit, the McComb City Railroad Depot Museum, is listed as founded in 1964, and the depot itself was restored in 1998 and again in 2003. It became home to the museum and kept a waiting room for Amtrak passengers riding the City of New Orleans.
On May 30, 2021, the depot was set on fire and at first was thought to be a total loss. That fall, an architectural firm and two contractors experienced with burned buildings inspected it and found that most walls in the central and southern sections could be saved. Pike Construction of Mississippi started the rebuilding work on January 3, 2022.
The museum did not wait idly for the depot. On Thursday, June 20, 2024, it held a soft opening at a temporary location at 112 Third Street, where it will stay until repairs to the depot are finished. Board members, an interim co-executive director team of Sam Daniel and Ganeath Daniel, and local volunteers keep the doors open, and donations to the Rebuild our Museum Fund go toward returning the collection to its historic home. Every contributor, the museum says, will be recognized in the new museum.
Shop men, passenger days and a 200-ton Mountain
The museum's exhibits are built around the people who made McComb a railroad town: displays on railroad employees, the McComb Shops, passenger rail travel and the wider community's railroad history, supported by photographs, documents, artifacts and model trains. The collection runs to nearly 1,800 artifacts.
The large equipment has been the headliner for years. Illinois Central No. 2542 is a 200-ton Mountain-type steam locomotive built at the railroad's own Paducah shops, and the outdoor display has also held No. 51000 and several other pieces of rolling stock under a covered shelter beside the tracks. With the depot under repair and the indoor exhibits at Third Street for now, ask the museum which pieces are on view before you plan your visit around them. A short video the museum shot in March 2020, a year before the fire, is linked from its website and gives a good look at the depot as it was.
Don’t miss
- Illinois Central No. 2542A 200-ton Mountain-type steam locomotive built at the Illinois Central's Paducah shops, and the best known piece in the museum's care.
- The McComb Shops exhibitsThe railroad's shops shaped the town for generations, and these displays show the work and the workers behind them.
- Railroad employee displaysPhotographs and personal items that honor the men and women who worked for the Illinois Central in McComb.
- Model trainsPart of the indoor collection, and a good way to hold younger visitors' attention between the photographs and documents.
- The 1901 depot itselfEven under repair, the old Illinois Central station downtown is worth a look, since its walls survived the fire and are being brought back.
Big engines and small trains for young visitors
A 200-ton steam locomotive is a lot to take in for a small child, and the model trains inside give younger visitors something closer to their own size. The temporary museum is compact, so a visit works well for kids who are curious but not ready for a long day.
The museum does not post age guidance, ride programs or hands-on kids' activities online. If you are bringing a school group or a scout troop, call ahead so a board member or volunteer can plan for you.
Plan your visit: tips for McComb Railroad Depot Museum
- The museum is at its temporary location, 112 Third Street, not inside the depot, until repairs are finished.
- Saturday visits are by appointment, so call 601-248-3625 a few days ahead.
- Watch the museum's March 2020 video, linked on its website, to see the depot before the fire.
- Ask which large pieces of equipment are currently on display before you go.
Volunteers rebuilding McComb's landmark
The McComb Railroad Depot Museum is a nonprofit run by a volunteer board and interim co-executive directors Sam Daniel and Ganeath Daniel. You can help by becoming a member through any board member, volunteering (call 601-248-3625), or donating to the Rebuild our Museum Fund at PO Box 7220, McComb, MS 39649, or through the museum's GoFundMe page.
More rail history within a drive of McComb
The Historic Hattiesburg Train Depot is about 69 miles east, and the railroad exhibits at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Jackson are about 77 miles north. South toward Louisiana, the Louisiana Steam Train Association is about 90 miles away. For the whole list, see train museums across Mississippi.
- Historic Hattiesburg Train DepotHattiesburg, MS · about 69 mi
- Louisiana Railroad Heritage Trust / related preservation collectionsstatewide, LA · about 70 mi
- Louisiana Art & Science Museum historic railroad depotBaton Rouge, LA · about 70 mi
- Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum railroad exhibitsJackson, MS · about 77 mi
- Louisiana Steam Train AssociationNew Orleans area, LA · about 90 mi
- New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal historic exhibitsNew Orleans, LA · about 92 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The McComb depot went through its own dark tunnel when it burned in 2021, and the people of McComb kept going until they could see light again. That is the feeling I wanted in our book, when the train rolls into a dark tunnel and Rally comes out into a big bright light while everyone cheers. My mom would have loved a story like McComb's. I write about her on our story page.
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 McComb Railroad Depot 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
- McComb Railroad Depot Museum official website(opens in a new tab)
- McComb station on Wikipedia(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
McComb Railroad Museum: 20 questions visitors ask
Is the McComb Railroad Museum open right now?
Yes. As of October 2026, the McComb Railroad Depot Museum is open at a temporary location at 112 Third Street in McComb, where it held a soft opening on June 20, 2024. It will stay there until repairs to the historic depot are finished, so do not head to the depot itself expecting the exhibits.
What are the McComb Railroad Depot Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturdays by appointment. It does not list Sunday through Wednesday hours. Because the museum is volunteer led, call 601-248-3625 before a long drive to confirm it will be open the day you plan to visit.
Where is the McComb Railroad Museum in McComb, MS?
For now the museum is at 112 Third Street in McComb, Mississippi, a temporary home while the 1901 Illinois Central depot downtown is repaired after the 2021 fire. Mail goes to PO Box 7220, McComb, MS 39649. Check the museum's website for updates on when it moves back into the depot.
How much does it cost to visit the McComb Railroad Museum?
The museum does not post an admission price online. As a nonprofit rebuilding after a fire, it relies heavily on donations, so plan to leave something in the box if you can. Call 601-248-3625 or email director@mcrrmuseum.com to ask about current admission before you visit.
Is the McComb Railroad Museum the same as the McComb City Railroad Depot Museum?
Yes. The museum calls itself the McComb Railroad Depot Museum, many people know it simply as the McComb Railroad Museum, and its nonprofit is the McComb City Railroad Depot Museum, Inc. All three names point to the same organization preserving McComb's Illinois Central railroad history.
What happened to the McComb train depot?
On May 30, 2021, the McComb depot was damaged by arson and at first was believed to be a total loss. Inspections later that year found that most walls in the central and southern parts of the building could be saved, and Pike Construction of Mississippi began rebuilding on January 3, 2022. The museum posts rebuilding updates on its website.
When was the McComb depot built?
The Illinois Central Railroad built the McComb depot in 1901 as a wooden combination passenger and freight station. It was restored in 1998 and again in 2003 before the 2021 fire. The building has housed both the McComb Railroad Museum and the Amtrak passenger waiting room.
What can you see at the McComb Railroad Museum?
The museum's exhibits cover railroad employees, the McComb Shops, passenger rail travel and McComb's railroad history, with photographs, documents, artifacts and model trains. The collection numbers nearly 1,800 artifacts. Large equipment has included Illinois Central steam locomotive No. 2542, so ask what is on display at the temporary site.
What is Illinois Central No. 2542 at the McComb Railroad Museum?
No. 2542 is a 200-ton Mountain-type steam locomotive that the Illinois Central built at its own Paducah shops. It is the best known piece of large equipment associated with the McComb Railroad Museum and has been displayed outdoors near the depot. Call ahead to confirm viewing while the depot is rebuilt.
Are there photos of the McComb Railroad Museum?
The museum's website links to a YouTube video filmed in March 2020, about a year before the fire, which shows the depot and the exhibits as they were. For recent pictures of the temporary Third Street location and the rebuilding work, check the update section on the museum's website or travel review sites.
What do visitors say about the McComb Railroad Museum?
Travel guides describe the McComb Railroad Museum as a specialty museum focused on the city's railroading heritage, highlighting its large artifact collection and Illinois Central steam locomotive No. 2542. Reviews written before 2021 describe the depot before the fire, so keep in mind that today's visit is at the temporary Third Street location.
Can you ride a train at the McComb Railroad Museum?
The museum does not offer train rides. You can still ride a real train in McComb, though: the depot is a flag stop for Amtrak's City of New Orleans, and trains stop when passengers have tickets to or from McComb. Check Amtrak for schedules and booking.
Does Amtrak still stop in McComb, Mississippi?
Yes. McComb station serves Amtrak's City of New Orleans as a flag stop, which means the train stops only when passengers hold tickets to or from McComb. The depot building has housed the Amtrak waiting room along with the railroad museum. Check Amtrak directly for current station details during the rebuild.
Is the McComb Railroad Museum good for kids?
It suits children who like real trains and do not need a playground to stay interested. The model trains and the big Illinois Central steam locomotive tend to catch young eyes, and the compact temporary space keeps a visit short. The museum does not post kids' programs online, so call ahead to ask.
Can groups or schools visit the McComb Railroad Museum?
The museum does not post a formal group tour program online, but Saturdays are open by appointment, which makes them a good choice for a group. Call 601-248-3625 or email director@mcrrmuseum.com to set up a visit for a class, club or family reunion.
How long does a visit to the McComb Railroad Museum take?
Plan on about an hour at the temporary Third Street location. Rail fans who want to read every document and talk with volunteers may stay longer. Add a little time to drive past the historic depot downtown and see the rebuilding work in person.
How can I donate to rebuild the McComb depot?
Send donations payable to the Rebuild our Museum Fund at PO Box 7220, McComb, MS 39649, or give through the museum's GoFundMe page linked from its website. The McComb Railroad Depot Museum is a nonprofit, and it says every contributor will be recognized in the new museum.
How can I volunteer or become a member at the McComb Railroad Museum?
To volunteer as a person or with an organization, call interim co-executive director Ganeath Daniel at 601-248-3625. For membership, the museum asks you to contact any board member. General questions go to Sam Daniel, interim co-executive director, at director@mcrrmuseum.com.
Why is McComb called a railroad town?
McComb was built around the Illinois Central Railroad, which for decades kept major steam and car shops in town. Those shops employed generations of local families, and the museum devotes exhibits to the McComb Shops and the railroad workers who staffed them. The 1901 depot is the most visible reminder of that era.
What other train museums are near McComb?
The Historic Hattiesburg Train Depot is about 69 miles east, and the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum in Jackson, with its large model railroad, is about 77 miles north. Across the state line, Baton Rouge and the New Orleans area are each roughly 70 to 93 miles away with several rail sites.
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