Wednesday
I remember going on a train on that 1977 family trip to South Dakota and I always wanted to go again. Riding this steam train was the highlight of our trip. We rode in an "enclosed" car on the trip from Keystone to Hill City, and an "open" car on the way back. Enclosed means it has windows that can be closed, the open has no windows at all, just big openings. Either way is a very enjoyable experience. When we ordered our tickets online, it was suggested that we change sides on the second journey which we did. We also changed who got the window seat, so I took pictures one way, Jim did the other.
The scenery was magnificent. There are all sizes of rocks, some are huge hills of rocks, some hills have rocks and trees scattered all over. I think they do some tree management here and keep the trees spaced a bit, by cutting and making tipis of cut logs and branches and burning them in non-fire spreading weather.
We had a guide tell us about different mining camps in the area and other interesting things, like the log tipis. We took our train ride there and back with only a 15 minute break. We wished we had given ourselves some time to look around Hill City. We could have gone back, but we didn't. There is only so much time. And only so much energy.
I wonder if I would like these big rocks in my backyard.
This is the open car with someone else already loaded up.
Coal Smoke
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Part of the wye for the narrow gauge rail. This was mining country so plenty of railroad travel.
Going down grade, the engine lets off steam to purge the lines from the boiler. We were close enough to feel a little mist.
Engine 110
We poked around Keystone in the afternoon, but cut this day short and went to bed early, completely tired out.
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