We woke up at the Pines Country Inn and after preparing for our day, we left Newcastle, Wyoming and headed for Custer, South Dakota.
Elizabeth making her first trip to South Dakota. After that, we had breakfast at Our Place in Custer. From here we then made the short trip up to Hill City and parked our car in the parking lot. Our first stop here would also Elizabeth's first visit at this unique place.
The South Dakota State Railroad Museum which is next door to the Black Hills Central Railroad.
Minneapolis and St. Louis caboose 1208 built in 1947.
A railroad display.
The HO model railroad inside the museum building. After this, we went outside to see the equipment the museum has collected. Unfortunately, there are no numbers or anything to tell the visitor what they are since they are in need of restoration.
Burlington Northern caboose 11454, nee Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 13509, built by Chicago, Burlington and Quincy in 1930.
Silver Falls Timber Company 2-6-2T 103 built by Baldwin 1922 as Silver Falls Timber Company 103 in Silverton, Oregon. It 1938, it was sold as Alaska Junk Company at Portland, Oregon then in the 1940's, became Peninsula Terminal Company 103 at North Portland, Oregon before being sold to William Heckman in 1965. This steam engine is used as a parts source for sister steam engine 104. From here we picked up our tickets and then bought T-shirts, pin, mug and Christmas ornament.
Black Hills Central Railroad GP9 63, ex. Progressive Rail 63, exx. Chillicothe Brunswick 63, exxx. Northeast Kansas and Missouri 63, exxxx. Indiana and Ohio 63, nee Chesapeake and Ohio 6178 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1956.
Black Hills Central 110 would be the power of our train today. I hoped in my heart that today would be better than the 2016 trip when we arrived at Keystone and the engine had brake problems so GP9 63 had to come over and pull us back. We went to the shop and had a look inside.
Coach 125 "Keystone", built by the American Car Company in 1913 as Oregon Electric Railway 125. It later worked on the Pacific Great Eastern before being acquired by Black Hills Central in the 1970's. We then asked if we could see the other two steam and the gentleman said, "If you are quick, yes".
Black Hills Central 2-6-6-2T 108 built by Baldwin in 1926 as Potlach Lumber Company 24 at Bovill, Idaho. Two years later, it was moved to Elk River, Idaho then in a 1931 corporate sale became Potlach Forests, Incorporated 24. In 1934, it was sold as Weyerhauser Timber Company 108 in Longview, Washington and the company name changed to Weyerhauser Company in 1959. It was donated to the Puget Sound Railway Historical Society in 1964 and was purchased by Black Hills Central from the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington in 2016.
Black Hills Central 2-6-2T 104 built by Baldwin in 1926 as Silver Falls Timber Company 104 at Silverton, Oregon. It was sold in 1938 to Alaska Junk Company at Portland, Oregon then in the 1940's, sold as Peninsula Terminal Company 104 at North Portland, Oregon. It was purchased by William Heckman in 1967 and now runs onto the Black Hills Central Railroad.
Black Hills Central 2-6-2 7 built by Baldwin in 1919 as Ozan-Graysonia Lumber Company 2 in Prescott, Arkansas and named "George Teat". The Ozan-Graysonia was formed from the merger of the Ozan Lumber Company in Prescott and the Grayson-McLeod Company of Graysonia, Arkansas, in 1915. It was later sold to the Caddo & Choctaw in Rosboro, Arkansas and re-numbered 7, then to the Prescott & Northwestern in 1938. The P&NWR ran thirty-one miles north from Prescott to access timber for the Ozan Lumber Company. The Prescott & Northwestern later sold 7 to the Higgins Shipbuilding Company in New Orleans, Louisana then was bought by Elliott Donnelley and leased to the Black Hills Central in 1961. The BHC acquired outright ownership in 1975.
When the Black Hills Central first started operating, it laid a third rail from Hill City to Oblivion to run narrow gauge trains on the standard gauge Chicago, Burlington and Quincy line. The CB&Q was still operating freight trains over the line at the time, so three foot gauge steam operated alongside standard gauge diesels for several years. From 1962, 7 pulled a standard gauge tourist train from Keystone to Oblivion, where it met the narrow gauge train. When that became too expensive to operate, 7 pulled the train the entire distance between Hill City and Keystone. It was used in an episode of the Walt Disney TV series "Gunsmoke" in 1970, the funnel stack was added for the Disney movie "Scandalous John" in 1971 and, most recently, it appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2005 TV series "Into the West". The steam engine is now on display as it can only pull four cars.
Black Hills Central 1 on display by the highway.
Black Hills Central GP9 63 and Black Hills Central 110.
Black Hills Central 2-6-6-2T 110, built by Baldwin in 1928, backing from the engine house. It is an articulated mallet was built by Baldwin in 1928 for the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company to work on its Vail, Washington, line. After over twenty-five years working at at Vail, 110 was sold to the Rayonier Lumber Company in 1954 where it operated on the Grays Harbor line until 1966. During that time, it was fitted with a tender from Rayonier 2-8-2 101. Rayonier retired 110 in 1968 and it was sold to the Promontory Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. In 1971, the locomotive was transferred to the Wasatch Railroad Museum and placed on display at Heber City, Utah. Then, in 1993, it was sold to the Nevada State Railway Museum and was placed in storage at Boulder City, Nevada. Six years later, in 1999, it was sold to the Black Hills Central and trucked from Nevada to South Dakota on four semi-trailers. Work then began to restore the mallet to operating condition and it returned to steam in January 2001.
Black Hills Central 110 running by us.
Black Hills Central 110 doing a blow down.
Black Hills Central 110 backing down to the train.
Black Hills Central 110 on the point of our train to Keystone. We went and sat at a table in the shade and the conductor approached us and asked if we were from Trainweb and I replied yes. Then he sent over Nate from the Black Hills Central Railroad who talked with us about the COVID-19 virus, things the railroad has had to do that has worked and not worked as well as some history of the passenger cars. He was a very interesting person to talk with and told us of a special double-headed steam trip with 110 and 108 on October 3rd, 2020. He told us to enjoy our trip. At 9:45 AM, we boarded the train, taking our assigned seats that we had chosen on their website when we bought the tickets.
I was back in the Mystic car for my second trip aboard this railroad and Elizabeth would be making her first trip.
Black Hills Railroad Whitcomb Diesel 1, ex. Black Hills Light and Power 1, exx. US Army 7379, nee Stone and Webster 60086. It was built by Whitcomb in 1942
At 10:00 AM, the train departed for Keystone passing the shop complex.
Taking the first curve of the railroad.
At the foot of the grade.
Elizabeth aboard the Black Hills Central Railroad train with her mask off.
After climbing the four to six percent grade, the tracks levelled out.
Taking a curve to the left.
The miner's house from the Black Hills gold rush.
Crossing a valley.
Black Elk Peak, formerly Harney Peak, elevation 7,242 feet.
Taking the grade to Oblivion.
The train has reached Oblivion.
The wye of the original Black Hills Central Railroad narrow gauge operation at Oblivion.
Elkorn Mountain, elevation 6,200 feet.
Curving to the left.
Curving to the right.
Crossing a trestle on the way to Keystone.
The engine did a blow down as we headed east.
Curving through the forest.
Crossing another highway crossing. There are twenty road crossings on this route.
Coming into Keystone. Once the train stopped, I got off and made my way in front of everyone and used the bathroom in the station before returning to the train. Elizabeth got off and went down to where the engine was being watered.
The engine running around the train for the return trip. Elizabeth then returned and we sat until it was time to return to Hill City.
The train crossing the first trestle west of Keystone.
The train making the first big curve west of Keystone.
Crossing another of the highways.
Crossing a trestle.
The train took another curve.
Crossing another trestle on the return trip.
Yet another road crossing.
Crossing another trestle.
Crossing another road.
The train took two more curves to the right.
The train at Oblivion.
Another one of the mines along the railroad.
Crossing the next road along the route.
Climbing Tin Mill Hill.
Descending Tin Mill Hill into Hill City.
Black Hills Central 7 welcomed us back to Hill City. We let everyone get off the train before us and before we left, Elizabeth wanted a picture of the passenger car Oreville. Once we got back to the car I told her that we had time before the next train left to go to Mount Rushmore. When we got there we learned that my National Park Pass was not valid at this park which I thought was ridiculous. We took a ticket to park then walked up the path into the Memorial Pavilion, passing through the gates and walking to get a clear shot of Mount Rushmore.
Mount Rushmore.
Elizabeth and Mount Rushmore. We then left the parking structure and had to pay $10 by credit card in order to leave. The exiting at this park was poorly designed and you had to wait to be able to leave your parking area after paying.
One last picture of Mount Rushmore as we drove off. We drove back to Hill City and drove to the spot that I wanted to photograph.
The Black Hills Central 1:15 PM departure left Hill City for Keystone. Next we went to Subway to pick up some lunch which we took with us and drove down to the Crazy Horse Monument. We paid $12 apiece to visit this park.
Our first picture was through the glass of the welcome center.
Next we found the outdoor area which to me gave a better view of the mountain.
Elizabeth and the Crazy Horse Monument carving. We left here and drove US Highway 16 to US 385 which we took to South Dakota Highway 17 then US Highway 18 to Edgemont.
Great Northern caboose X295, built by Great Northern in 1953, lettered as Burlington Northern 11381, on display in Edgemont. We took Highway 471 east and then Highway 71 to Ardmore.
BNSF 6237 West with DPUs BNSF 9262 6152 and at Ardmore, South Dakota.
BNSF DPUs 9262 6152 and at Ardmore, South Dakota.
Elizabeth makes her first time in Nebraska. From here we went to Belmont on Crawford Hill. We took Nebraska Highway 2 south.
The only railroad tunnel in Nebraska eastern portal.
Elizabeth at the Belmont Tunnel.
The western portal of the Belmont Tunnel.
Elizabeth at Belmont, Nebraska.
Morning photo locations at Belmont.
Late afternoon photo locations at Belmont. From here we drove to Alliance for two photo locations.
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 4-6-0 719 built by predecessor Burlington & Missouri River Railroad at their Havelock, Iowa Shops in 1903 as 40 and re-numbered 3687 the same year. When Burlington & Missouri River was merged into the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1904, it became 719 and in 1951, it was renumbered 919. It was donated to the City of Alliance in 1962 and was refurbished by Burlington Northern volunteers; on display in Sudman Field .
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy caboose 13701 built by Morrison in 1969. Next I took Elizabeth to Carhenge. This exhibit is based on Stonehenge in England.
Carhenge in Alliance. We then drove to the Alliance Hotel and Suites and checked in. ELizabeth got us Arby's for dinner then we wrote the story and relaxed.
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