Getting ready for bed over the coming winter, Black Hills Central Railroad, in Hill, South Dakota, was already hard at work on 2-6-6-2T, #110. She's going to have her 5 year inspection over the winter, and the shop crew was hard at work to make certain she's ready for service in 2011. Next to her was 2-6-2T, #104. Outside there stood a GP7, to be used on holiday trains, and another 2-6-2, in western garb. I was told the railroad has had a remarkable season of patrons riding the railroad and using the facilities on the site. The whole shop area seem busy, including the car shop, with work being done both outdoors and in. The grounds are immaculate, and management has gone to some lengths to make the grounds welcoming, neat, and unpretentious. There is ample parking and the rolling stock is kept in good shape. I'd be hard pressed to look at the cars and determine it was end of the season.
2010 trains have ended, but it appears that moving forward with repairs and rebuilding is aforethought.

Another 2-6-2T is parted out in the yard, but not so restoration is out of the question. There are also stainless steel passenger cars, cabooses, and tenders.

By all appearances, a first class operation.

This is one of the best operations out there. The new operators there have really turned things around over the last decade or so. Excellent Ride, Equipment, Staff, Gift Shop, Website and much more. They seem to do everything right.

The grades on the line are pretty remarkable and have made for some of the best mountain railroading I've seen - and I only rode the 2-6-2T. Hopefully I'll get the mallet one of these years.

Dave

For me, the stars of the show are the ex-Oregon Electric interurban cars. Classic first-generation interurban equipment, seeing continued use.

I understand that there are a number of unrestored ex-OE cars there. Does anyone have any info or pics pertaining to these cars?

*edit* Found some: http://www.bera.org/cgi-bin/pnaerc-quer ... %20Central

Cheers,
Matt

I saw one in a train and at least one dried up one in the yard. I think...not certain...two others were on spur tracks. I might be wrong about that.