Black Hills Central No. 7 - Return to Keystone
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- Locomotive No. 7 Returns to Keystone June 14, 2001
Black Hills Central Railroad 2-6-2 No. 7 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1919. It later served on the Prescott & Northwestern, an Arkansas short line, before moving to Hill City, South Dakota for tourist service in 1962. For many years it wore the name General Custer on its cab, and the fake funnel stack was added for a Disney movie the forgettable clunker "Scandalous John" in 1971 (she looked better in a 1970 episode of Gunsmoke, with a straight stack and kerosene headlight).
The BHC operates the 1880 Train between Hill City and Keystone on a former CB&Q branch line. It started narrow-gauge steam operations in 1957 by laying down a third rail between Hill City and Oblivion, half way to Keystone on the still-active CB&Q Keystone Branch. The bulk of the tourists were in Keystone, however, being the location of Mount Rushmore, so beginning in the summer of 1962 No. 7 was used to pull a standard gauge tourist train from Keystone to Oblivion, where it met the narrow gauge train.
No.7 was a regular fixture in Keystone in those days, and the trains were operated by Burlington crews.
Later, when the narrow gauge train became too expensive to keep in operation, No. 7 pulled the train the entire distance between Hill City and Keystone.
In June 1972 a massive flood wiped out the last mile of track into Keystone; owner Burlington Northern decided to abandon that segment of track, and the rails ended at Keystone Junction, a mile up the road from downtown Keystone. In 1985 the BN abandoned the branch, and it was purchased by the Black Hills Central.
There was no money to repair the track into town, so for three decades the train ended its journey at Keystone Junction. However, when the Warder family purchased the BHC in 1990 they made plans to return the train to Keystone.
Three new wood trestles, and a mile of new steel rail and ties were required to bridge the gap; a brand new station was also constructed in town. Locomotive 104 made the first run over the new rail on May 14, 2001.
Engine No. 7 the signature 1880 engine on the BHC had been out of service for many years when the Warders purchased the railroad. It was overhauled and went back to work in 1993, and has run over the line ever since.
The engine was slated to be filmed by the History Channel in June, 2001. The train crew decided that it should have at least one test run over the new track into to Keystone before the film crews arrived. So, on the last run of the day on June 14, 2001, the No. 104 was taken off the train and No. 7 was put on. The 2-6-2 then took the 1880 Train to Keystone, passing over the newly-built trackage and returning to downtown Keystone for the first time in 28 years. The engine ran well, despite the audible squeak (loose packing in one cylinder, I was told it was repaired following the run).
Today, No. 7 is again a regular fixture in downtown Keystone, and is frequently doubleheaded with 2-6-2T No. 104 when more than four coaches are used on the 1880 Train. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
You say quit whistling so much but I do believe trains required to sound their whistle/horn at every crossing. They are not "showing off" they are following the law.
It's nice to see a 2-6-2 in operation
WOW! I've only discovered this railroad 2 years ago and have never seen it in person, but now I really want to! AWESOME VID!
Thank you so much for sharing I love steam trains a lot.
This has been added to our train history playlists here, and on facebook, thanks...
Great shot. Little 7 is my favorite engine. Such a sweet little runner.
Those were the best looking steam locomotives. I do like the classic ones with the lamps for the lights.
shes stalls a lot
but i love the "i think i can" at 2:27
Old Wheezy needs to have the piston gland on the engineer's side repacked and the valves retimed. Sheesh!
I think the reason it sounds like they spend too much time laying on the whistle is that filmers almost always film next to a crossing, scene after scene. I'd love to see one filmed between crossings and just hear the engine work, but who wants to try to get that access that far out of the way?
Alright, you can't tell me that wasn't the 110's whistle right there! Sounds great on both locomotives anyway. AWESOME video!
You pretty much nailed it on the head. There is virtually no access along the Black Hills Central except at the grade crossings.
If I remember correctly, the train crews couldn't see around it very well. It was a safety issue; there are several grade crossings on the line.
#7 also starred in the 1979 tv movie Orphan Train.
That would be the "Snow Train" episode(s).
How come they took #7's box headlight off? I saw pictures and she look way better, even though it's not original but it fits the name "1880" train.
what gunsmoke episode did #7 starr in?
how many steamers they have ther???
@SR722Do you know if the still run the mallet engine?
Lil ol' teapot wheezes a lot, don't she?
I remember back in steam days and they didn't lay
on the damned whistle all the time like they do now
to "show off" for tourists & railfans.
Too much whistling sounds PHONY like kids
are fooling around in the engine.
Back in the day these locomotives were for work.
They pulled freight & passenger cars down the
line. If you want it to look realistic for the time,
tear the sheet plastic & duct tape off the car, and
QUIT WHISTLING IT SO MUCH.