The Story
The rail line between Hill City and Keystone was built in stages during the 1890s central Black Hills mining boom. Hill City itself, founded in 1876, grew as a mining and timber town along it. In 1957 local businessman William Heckman revived the aging branch as a tourist excursion, naming it the "1880 Train" for Old West nostalgia even though the track dates to the 1890s. The Black Hills Central Railroad is recognized as the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge steam railroad in the U.S., running a scenic 10-mile route between Hill City and Keystone.
Surprising Facts
→ Despite the name, the "1880 Train" actually runs on track built in the 1890s.
→ It's the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge steam railroad in the entire U.S.
→ The excursion railroad is a 1957 tourism creation, not a surviving original passenger service.