About us
Founded in 1955, MRPS owns over 20 pieces of Vintage rolling stock, including the 4070: a former Grand Trunk Western 1918 USRA light Mikado (2-8-2) steam locomotive that was featured in movie "The Natural"
Our "home" is the historic B&O Roundhouse on West 3rd Street in Cleveland Ohio down in the industrial Flats district. In addition to working on our vintage rolling stock, our long-range goal is to restore the Roundhouse site and turn it into an educational and historical railways museum - preserving our area's great railroading past for generations to come.
Built in the period 1905-1919, the B&O Round-house once operated every day of the year, 24 hours a day. At its peak in the 1940s, it employed a staff up to 400. And it was once the central locomotive service center for one of the great rail lines that helped built Ohio’s industrial and economic might.
Today, stall 1 to4 of the building are open and in stable condition stall 6 to 10 are supported for future restoration stall 11 to 15 are completely gone,
The infrastructure has decayed and many of the walls need work but we are slowly rebuilding it back to it former glory.
With the help of our civic and business partners, MRPS is working to return the Roundhouse back to a locomotive repair shop with the back building turning back into a machine shop and a wood shop.
We are developing it into one of Cleveland major historical attractions – by restoring the 4070 back in to an operating steam locomotives were the sights, sounds, and smells and excitement of an era that may be long gone, but that we don’t want to forget.
We envision the Roundhouse as an integral part of the rapidly developing project know as the “Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath” a multi-community and multi-venue historical and recreational area stretching from Dover Ohio to Cleveland Flats.
MRPS members share a passion for making Steel, Steam and Oil move large amount of weight. So we get involved in repairing, restoring vintage railroad equipment of every size, type and description. We figure out how to remake, redesign and fabricate the things that can not be bought. We help our volunteers grow and develop skills they never knew they had.
Founded in 1955, we now own over 20 pieces of vintage stock, including the famous 1918 USRA Light Mikado steam locomotive- the 4070- that once provided motive power for the excursions through the Cuyahoga Valley.
We also own the corporate name of the now defunct “Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railway” an early railroad based out of Cleveland. We use the name for transporting our equipments for our excursion.
Our Home is the former B&O Roundhouse located at 2800 West 3rd Street in Cleveland’s industrial “Flats” district.
Normal volunteer work times at the Roundhouse are;
Monday and Thursday 10am. To 7pm.
Tuesday and Wednesday from 1pm. To 11 pm.
Saturday from 9am to 9pm.
We are open on some Fridays and Sunday but call first.
216-781-3629
or call Steve at
330-397-9994
However working at the Roundhouse is not all train work there is building, grounds, support equipment, office work, archives work, excursion and community service projects.
Our Members
MRPS Membership is 100% volunteer, including our Board and Officers. We are from every age, profession, background and Skill level. Some of us love steam; others are hooked one diesel. Some of us work at the Roundhouse; some simply support what we are doing through their Membership dues. But there is one thing we all have in common: the determination to preserve the equipment and facilities of Northeast Ohio railroading past.
Besides being 18 or older we have only a few requirements for membership
• Share our passion for railroading…
• Be ready to lend a safe helping hand…
• Respect our equipment and facility …
• Be willing to get involved!!!
You too can learn how to change wheels, work on Diesel locomotive, repair heavyweight passenger cars or even fix a simple oil leak with us. All it takes is the willingness to try and a love for fixing things.
Tours for
Prospective Members
If you are interested in a Membership with us, Please try to visit the Roundhouse first and meet some of our members. We encourage you to stop down during any of our hours that we are open. If you like to tour our site we have open house dates and we allow people to come in on Saturday. We charge a small fee to tour our site of $5.00 per person.
Join us as we recall the day of yesteryear, and as we shape a future that preserves honors and respect the contribution of our railroads that made Ohio industrial, economic and social structures.
Whatever your interests and talents are, we have a place for you here and an opportunity to learn and to do things that many people only dream about.
So hop on board…
It’s going to be an amazing ride.
Midwest Railway Preservation Society
MRPS is a not for profit 501(c)(3)
Donations to the Society are fully tax deductible
2800 West 3rd Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113