History of the High Line

In the late 1870's, Deadwood had become one of the largest gold boom settlements in the area. The High Line, which the 1880 Train's line spurs off of, was built in competition with the Freemont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad which was coming into Deadwood from Rapid City. Both railroads wanted to be the first to provide service to this boom town.

The High Line began in 1890 in the southern Hills as a branch off of the main line running from Alliance, Nebraska, into north-central Wyoming Territory. The area was referred to as Siding Seven and was later named Edgemont because of its location on the edge of the Black Hills.

On May 15th, 1890, crews started laying rail out of Deadwood Junction, which was located across the Cheyenne River from Edgemont. By August 24th of that same year, they had reached Minnekahta. The progress to Minnekahta had been delayed by construction of a 700' long, 126' high trestle across Sheep Canyon. This trestle was at one time the longest trestle in South Dakota.

The line reached Custer on the 6th of October, and they reached Hill City not long after, in early November. The High Line continued north through Mystic, Rochford, Nahant, Englewood, and finally reached Deadwood on January 24th, 1891. Unfortunately, it did not beat the Freemont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad, which made it to Deadwood a mere month earlier.

Many spurs were built off the High Line in the 1890's. One ran from Englewood to Spearfish by way of Spearfish Canyon, and another ran to Hot Springs. The Hill City to Keystone spur began by only going as far as Addie Camp, which was approximately three miles from Hill City. The spur reached Addie Camp in 1893. They continued to push east in 1899, and by January 25th, 1890, reached the mining town of Keystone.

Over the next 110 years, many changes would take place along both the High Line from Edgemont to Deadwood as well as the spur running from Hill City to Keystone.

The intention of the spur to Keystone was to assist with the multiple mining and milling operations in Keystone as well as along the spur. It operated in this capacity from the late 1800's until 1927. It was in this year that a mountain three miles from the station in Keystone was declared to be Gutzon Borglum's new canvas.

This mountain had several names, depending on the local you asked. Some called it Sugar Loaf Mountain, others called it Cougar Mountain. There was a Slaughter House gulch in the vicinity and therefore some even called it Slaughter House Mountain. Borglum ultimately re-named it Mt. Rushmore after a New York man who donated heavily toward his cause.

The carving of presidents on Mt. Rushmore dramatically changed Keystone, and therefore service along the High Line spur. Burlington had 'Escorted Tours', which carried passengers from Custer to Hill City along the High Line. From Hill City, there was no passenger train service, instead riders would board a bus and continue on to Mt. Rushmore for a close up view of Borglum's sculpture.

On the Keystone Spur, ore and lumber production continued to keep service going after World War II and steam was the motive power on these trains until the late 1940's. It was then that diesels began taking over the tri-weekly operations along the spur.

In the 50's, a new aspect of the operation was added. William Heckman and Robert Freer began plans for a tourist railroad, the 1880 Train. They believed "there should be in operation at least one working steam railroad, for boys of all ages who share America's fondness for the rapidly vanishing steam locomotive."

By 1956, fundraising and equipment acquisition was well under way. The equipment was narrow-gauge and the steam locomotives included a 2-6-0 from the Chicago Railroad fair and also a 2-8-0 Baldwin locomotive from the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. It was dubbed the Klondike Casey because of its service in the Northwest Territory.

Permission was also obtained to run on the Keystone spur along with Burlington's freight trains. In order to accommodate the narrow gauge equipment, a third rail was lay between the standard gauge rail. The narrow gauge line ran from Hill City up to the site of an old sawmill about four and a half miles up the spur. This site was later called Oblivion.

At Oblivion, a wye was put in place so the tourist train could turn around and return to Hill City. The Klondike Casey would be the first locomotive to operate.

The 2-6-0 from the Chicago Railroad Fair was re-named the Chief Crazy Horse, and was soon to become a display. The reasoning behind this was that the Chief Crazy Horse was a coal burning engine. A ban had been placed on coal burning engines in the Black Hills National Forest back in 1912.

The Black Hills Central's first run was on August 18th, 1957. Within the first year of operation, about 30,000 passengers road the '1880 Train', as Heckman referred to it.

In 1962, the train ride was extended into Keystone. This was due to the acquisition of a standard gauge locomotive. This engine was a Baldwin 2-6-2, engine number 7. Number 7 was given the nickname General Custer. For two years, a dual gauge operation was run with Klondike Casey running from Hill City to Oblivion and Number 7 from Oblivion to Keystone. Because of deterioration of the Klondike Casey, the line became a standard gauge operation in 1964.

Over the next few years, Burlington's service on the Keystone spur lessened to an 'as needed' operation. In 1972, the line was badly damaged in a severe flash-flood. The last mile of rail into Keystone was the most damaged. The newly merged Burlington Northern railroad created a siding for loading freight a mile outside of town instead. This siding became known as Keystone Junction.

For four years after the flood, the 1880 Train ran an alternate route of Hill City to Custer on the High Line. In 1977, the 1880 Train was back on the Keystone spur now running as far as the newly created Keystone Junction. These trains were pulled by either the Number 7, or the number 104, which had been acquired in the 1960's.

By the late 1970's, Burlington Northern's freight revenues had decreased dramatically along the Keystone spur and it was put on the abandonment list in 1980. In 1981, the 1880 Train was able to obtain financing to purchase the Keystone spur's tracks and also the depot and sidings in Hill City. Only a year later, the Custer to Deadwood section of the High Line was added to the abandonment list as well. It suspended operation on November 8, 1983 and the rail was scrapped. The Custer to Edgemont section followed in 1986.

This 100+ mile stretch of High Line track was converted into the Mickelson Trail, leaving the 1880 Train an isolated operation.

By the late 1980's, the expense of the railroad had become more than the Heckman's could maintain. In 1990, the Warder family bought the 1880 Train. In the early 1990's, they concentrated on restoring engine's number 104 and 7. This restoration increased their reliability and performance. Work was also done on some of the rolling stock, a trend that would continue over the next 19 years.

To assist with these equipment restorations, a second stall was added to the existing roundhouse. Similar treatment was given to the entire train yard. The depot underwent upgrades, allowing the 1889 depot to operate as the gift shop and ticket office. Two WWII era hospital cars served as the High Liner Snack Shoppe and were placed on their own stretch of rail parallel to the Hill City station sidings. The grounds have undergone landscaping and restroom facilities were updated.

While the Hill City end of the operations underwent a face lift, things on the Keystone, or Keystone Junction to be specific, end were much the same until the new millennium. A small ticket booth existed in Keystone next to the post office, and if a passenger purchased tickets there, they would continue up Old Hill City Road to Keystone Junction. Keystone Junction hardly had more frills than Keystone proper. An old set from Orphan Train bore the name of the station and restroom facilities were in the form of portable restrooms.

In the days of Keystone Junction, the 1880 Train operated a four car train as this was the maximum 104 or 7 could handle. Double Heading was pointless as the Keystone Junction siding could handle only 4 cars.

Throughout the 1990's, the Warders had several cars restored and began naming them after High Line sidings. Oreville, Redfern, Mystic, and Hilyo all underwent restoration and Addie Camp was maintained as an 'Antique' Car.

In 1999, the engine shop began restoration on Baldwin steam locomotive #110. This restoration would set the stage for perhaps the largest change to the 1880 Train since 1972. In 2001, the last mile of rail from Keystone Junction to Keystone was repaired. At the same time, engine number 110 had finished being restored. 110 could pull a seven car train, creating the need for more rolling stock. Through the next eight years, four more cars would be restored, raising the total number of rolling stock to nine passenger cars.

With the completion of the rail into Keystone, a new depot was also constructed. With the addition of Internet technology, more and more passengers could now begin their train ride from this depot. With the operation rapidly expanding, it wasn't long until 2007 rolled around and the 1880 Train was able to celebrate 50 years as a tourist railroad.

Many things have changed since Bill Heckman began the 1880 Train, but one important thing stays the same. The 1880 Train continues to embrace operating as a steam operation, allowing visitors a chance to experience the magic only a steam train can make.