1881 Train, Black Hills Railroad

If you want to have an authentic old west experience, climb aboard the 1880 Central Railroad Train. Located in Hill City, South Dakota, this is not a replica of what once was – this is the real thing. The 20 mile train trip chugs along through the scenic landscape between Hill City and Keystone, South Dakota. The trip takes approximately two hours.

This is the same type of engine that helped to settle the American west. Engine No. 7 is recognized as one of the oldest operating steam engines in the U.S. The 52-foot-long, 105-ton engine was built in 1919 by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Ozan Graysonia Lumber Co. and was later sold to the Prescott & Northwestern Railroad in Arkansas. The Black Hills Central Railroad acquired it in 1962, and it has been in operation ever since. Old No. 7 is also a movie and TV star, having been featured in the Gunsmoke episode Snow Train, the film Orphan Train, and the daytime soap General Hospital. And most recently, the engine was a part of the made for TV mini-series – Into the West. This Black Hills attraction is restoring interest in authentic steam engines and other railroad cars and preserving a small slice of Americana.

Because of weather considerations, this attraction is not open from November through April. However, when in operation, there are several runs daily. It is recommended that you obtain reservations if you want to experience the bellow of the engine and the whine of the whistle as it winds its way through the scenic hills between Hill City and Keystone... and back again.