BHC 110

#110 reaches the top of Tin Mill Hill

Black Hills Central 2-6-6-2T #110 has just crossed Old Hill City Rd. and is Keystone bound in Hill City, S.D.

BHC 108 and BHC 110 sit outside of the Black Hills Central sheds in Hill City, SD. 108 would pull the trains that day.

Climbing out of Hill City

At the water tower.

# 110 crossing the last trestle approaching the Hill City station.

Taking on water prior to the first run of the day.

Engine 110, a 2-6-6-2 mallet, is just seconds away from arrival at the Hill City station with its mid-afternoon excursion.

Lineup of power for the Black Hills Central Railroad.

How often does this happen, a steam engine and a diesel meet in the same photo, maybe in the 1940s and 1950s, but often in 2010, 2-6-6-2 #110 is going to get serviced before the next rip and GP9 #63 is sitting silently, I would have liked to hear the 567 engine

After getting off the train at Hill City, the 2-6-6-2 was going to get serviced before the next trip through the Black Hills and it will pass by GP9 #63

Now pulling the train backwards back to Keystone, we got to see the scenery of the Black Hills. This is a neat tourist line, it's a must see

Arriving in Keystone, the 2-6-6-2 turns around and couples to the back of the train and will get ready to head back to Hill City with some new passengers

BHC 110, a 2-6-6-2 pulls 6 passenger cars to Hill City and up a 6% grade, even BNSF and UP can use one unit for their trains up even a 2.2% grade

This is the smallest articulated steam engine I have gotten, the biggest is the DM&IR Yellowstones. What a steam engine to pull trains up the steep 6% grade to Keystone. It take at least 8 units for BNSF and UP to get their trains over the grades in California, so this is a feat

The locomotive is about to cross Old Hill City road yet again coasting down the 5% grade into Hill City yard. This old gal puts on a wounderful show going east climbing this trackage.... /DL

This scene plays out several times a day, 7 days a week at Hill City in the season. The 3 days I was around this RR the GP9 ran 1 run in the morning and #110 ran 4 trips. /DL

A round trip is about 19 miles and after each run the shop boys go to work with the oil can & grease gun. There's only ONE 2-6-6-2 operating in the world so not much is left to chance. /DL

The run around, #110 coming back to the front of the eastbound consist. /DL

The 110 sits in Keystone. This was absolutely an awesome locomotive to see and ride behind.

The Black Hills Central Railroad excursion passes through Hill City in route to Keystone.

The Black Hills Centrals engineer waves at a group of people as the fireman blows down the engin starteling the farm animals alaong Old Hill City Rd., just past twin Peaks south of Keystone