Black Hills Central Railroad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Hills Central Railroad |
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Baldwin 2-6-2T #104 steaming out of Hill City station in 2001, on the 10-mile (16 km) run to Keystone, South Dakota
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| Locale | Keystone, South Dakota |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Keystone Branch of the Burlington Northern Railroad |
| Built by | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Black Hills Central Railroad |
| Operated by | Black Hills Central Railroad |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| 1957 | Reopened |
The Black Hills Central Railroad is a special train line in Keystone, South Dakota, United States. It's known as a "heritage railroad" because it keeps old trains running for people to enjoy.
Today, the railroad runs a popular train called the 1880 Train. This train travels on an old track between Hill City, South Dakota and Keystone, South Dakota. The track was first built by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad to help with gold mining in the Black Hills. It reached Keystone in 1900. Later, it even helped move equipment for carving the famous Mount Rushmore.
In 1957, two people named William Heckman and Robert Freer started the Black Hills Central Railroad. They began offering fun train rides for tourists. In 1972, a big flood damaged part of the line, but it was fixed and reopened in 2001.
The Black Hills Central Railroad works hard to fix up and keep old locomotives and train cars from the early 1900s. Their trains have even appeared on TV shows like Gunsmoke and General Hospital, and in the movie Orphan Train. You can usually ride these scenic trains from early May to early October. The journey covers about 10 miles (16 km) of beautiful scenery.
Discover the Historic Trains
The Black Hills Central Railroad has some amazing old trains! As of 2021, they operate five rare and working steam locomotives. They also have two diesel locomotives.
Steam Locomotives
- #7: This steam engine was built in 1919. It's currently on display for visitors to see.
- #103: Built in 1922, this steam engine is currently stored.
- #104: This steam engine, built in 1926, is operational and ready to pull trains. You can see a picture of it at the top of this page!
- #108: Built in 1926, this large steam engine was brought to the Black Hills Central Railroad in 2016. It was fully restored and started running in August 2020. It's operational!
- #110: This powerful steam engine was built in 1928 and is also operational.
Diesel Locomotives
- #63: This diesel engine, an EMD GP9, is operational.
- #6657: This Whitcomb 80 Tonner, built in 1943 for the U.S. Army, is also operational.
Images for kids
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Engine #7, built in 1919, is on display at the Hill City site.
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A plaque commemorating steam locomotive #7, an engine that has appeared in numerous films and series, is located on the grounds of the Hill City depot.
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