Milepost 3.8: Backlight at Palmer Gulch. The 5PM trips on the Black Hills Central Railroad are an interesting challenge for photographers. The lower sun angles produce beautiful light, but... (more)

Tin Mill after five. Just after 5 PM, the Black Hills Central's last passenger run of the day tops Tin Mill Hill, crossing Old Hill City Road on the east bound trip to Keystone, SD. As you... (more)

Hammering through Oblivion. The Black Hills Central Railroad's two saddle-tank, articulated, compound Mallet Locomotives combine forces in a smoky run-by for photographers as part of the li... (more)

Celebrating 65 years!. On August 20th of 2022, the Black Hills Central Railroad celebrated it's 65th anniversary as a tourist line, and did so in fine style by running a double-header, feat... (more)

Milepost 9.1: Approaching Keystone. The old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Branch line between Hill City, SD and Keystone features a number of timber trestles, many of which can be seen from ... (more)

Late afternoon departure from Hill City. In recent years, the Black Hills Central Railroad has been running a 5 PM departure during prime vacation season. They are one of the few tourist r... (more)

Toppin' Tin Mill Hill. After struggling on the 4-6% grades for about 8 minutes, the Black Hills Central Railroad's 9AM train for Keystone SD, reaches the top of Tin Mill Hill, emerging from... (more)

The long climb to Hill City. Working hard in reverse, Black Hills Central Locomotive #110 hauls the first westbound trip of the day from Keystone, SD to Hill City through the S-curves at ab... (more)

Toppa Tin Mill. Emerging from the morning shadows at the top of Tin Mill Hill, Black Hills Central Railroad Locomotive #110 blows for the 3rd crossing of Old Hill City Road near Milepost 1,... (more)

The beautiful BHCR 110 puts on a great show on her way to Keystone. It is well worth the trip to South Dakota to see this railroad.

Tin Mill Hill in the afternoon. The crossing at the top of Tin Mill Hill is one of the best locations from which to photograph the Black Hills Central. The locomotive is working hard here... (more)

Topping Tin Mill Hill. The mid-day departure of the "1880 Train" is captured here just as it emerges from the woods at the top of Tin Mill Hill. Riding the train up Tin Mill Hill... (more)

Articulation. How do you get a 2-6-6-2 locomotive around a sharp curve? The answer is articulation. This engine has two sets of drivers. the boiler and tank sits firmly over the rear se... (more)

One of the nation's oldest tourist trains. South Dakota's Black Hills Central isn't the most well-known steam tourist train in the country, but it definitely qualifies as one of the oldest.... (more)

Lots of wooden trestles. One of the cool features of the Black Hills Central line from Hill City to Keystone is the presence of a number of photogenic wooden trestles. Perhaps the best exa... (more)