Chasing the 1880 Train | Black Hills Central Railroad #108

This past week, I took a trip out to the Black Hills, located in western South Dakota. Deep within the mountains of stone and trees, lies the Black Hills Central Railroad, known simply as the 1880 Train. The BHCR was formed in 1956 when a narrow gauge tourist line was proposed to run on the CB&Q’s Keystone Branch, laid out in the early 20th Century to serve mining and lumber companies in the hills. Third rail was placed on the standard gauge tracks between Hill City and a terminus “Oblivion”, located a few miles west of Keystone. The BHCR operated as a narrow gauge line until 1964 when it was decided to extend the route to Keystone. The third rail was removed, and they began operating with standard gauge equipment. The BHCR operated under CB&Q owned trackage, later BN in 1970, until 1981 when the Keystone Branch was handed over entirely to the BHCR. After BN abandoned their Deadwood Branch in 1986, the BHCR was left isolated in the center of the Black Hills, and continues to be the only active rail line within the mountains. BHCR #108 is a 2-6-6-2T steam locomotive, built in 1926 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Potlatch Lumber Company, then later the Weyerhauser Timber Company running along with sister engine #110. Later in its life it was handed over to the Northwest Railway Museum located in Snoqualmie, Washington. In 2016, the locomotive was acquired by the BHCR and 4 years later in 2020, the railroad got her steamed up and she continues to run alongside her sister locomotive #110, brought to the railroad in 1999 and restored in 2001. For more of my shots, please visit my photography pages listed below: https://www.instagram.com/northwester...   / northwesterniowarail   https://www.flickr.com/photos/1934718...