| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Rapid City, South Dakota |
| Locale | South Dakota |
| Dates of operation | 1893 (1893)–1947 (1947) |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Length | 36.043 miles (58.006 kilometres) |
TheRapid City, Black Hills and Western Railroad, also known simply as theBlack Hills and Western Railroad and commonly referred to as theRapid Canyon Line or theCrouch Line,[1] is a defunctstandard gaugefreightrailroad line that operated in theBlack Hills in the U.S. state ofSouth Dakota. The railroad became known throughout the area for its crookedness and later became atourist attraction. It ran fromRapid City to Mystic for a distance of 36.043 miles.[2] The railroad ceased operations in 1947.[3]
Though the official name is the Rapid City, Black Hills and Western Railroad, many sources refer to it as simply the Black Hills and Western Railroad. It is also called the Crouch Line, in honor of its founder, C.D. Crouch. Through the years, the line's name varied as it switched owners. These names were as follows: Dakota & Wyoming Railroad; Missouri River & North Western Railroad; Dakota, Western & Missouri River Railroad; Dakota, Wyoming and Western Railroad; Dakota Pacific Railroad; Dakota, Wyoming & Missouri River Railroad; Black Hills & Missouri River Railroad; and Black Hills & Wyoming Railroad.[4]
The Crouch Line was one of many railroads in the Black Hills that experienced the area'sboom and bust. Most of these early railroads were short-lived, and the main reason for the failures wasflash flooding.[5] The Crouch Line entered the planning stages in the early 1890s, with the purpose of connecting Rapid City to the central Black Hills.[4] The initial line from Rapid City to Dark Canyon was completed in 1893.[1] In 1896, C.D. Crouch raised money to extend the line to Mystic. Crouch also hoped to later extend the line intoWyoming and to theMissouri River.[6] Construction on the line from Dark Canyon to Mystic began in 1901 and was completed in 1906,[1] and a celebration was held on May 27, 1906. In June 1907, a flood wiped out a small portion of the line, but by late 1907, the railroad had been repaired.[4]
During the night of November 15, 1907, a bridge in a narrow gorge located north ofSilver City caught fire as a train approached.Engineer Almore Harper could not stop the train; it is speculated that he jumped before the wreck. Thefireman was killed, but both Harper and theconductor survived. A few of the rear cars stayed on the track, while the rest of the train fell into the creek 26 feet (7.9 m) below. The train had been hauling coal fromSheridan, Wyoming to Rapid City, and 3cars of coal ignited shortly after the wreck.[4]
The railroad received a widespread reputation for its crookedness; it was once called the "crookedest line in the world", and some accounts claimed that there were bends in the line that allowed theengineer andbrakeman in thecaboose to shake hands.[4] Some rails were specially manufactured to be bent before they were placed, in order to fit the bends.[5][7] 105 bridges were built overRapid Creek in only 26 miles.[4]
In February 1908 Crouch Line employees in Rapid City, S.D. reported that a boxcar loaded with building materials on the Milwaukee railroad became uncoupled and rolled away from the station. This unplanned departure began just northeast of the Crouch Line depot. The runaway boxcar was not stopped until it reached Creston, S.D., by the action of telegraph operator H. C. Troth who blocked the track with wood.[8]
From 1910 to 1913, the line flourished, hauling Wyoming coal.[9] On June 30, 1917, the railroad had 3steam locomotives, 3passenger cars, 7 pieces of work equipment, and 8freight cars. There were about 32.4 miles of track on the main line and another 4.7 miles ofsidings andyard tracks. No property had been constructed by the line.[2]
By 1920, the railroad was having significant financial difficulties, but local businessman and politicianJames Halley II helped the railroad continue operations.[10] By 1940, it had evolved solely into a tourist attraction, offering ride tours for as much as $2.70 per person. The Crouch Line was the longest-lasting of its kind in the Black Hills, operating until 1946. Most of the railroad has been taken up or destroyed, especially after the1972 Black Hills flood. The portion of the route that ran fromPactola to Mystic has been converted into ahiking trail, which starts at Silver City.[5]
A collection of 12 photographs taken by rail photographer Otto Perry (1894-1970) of Crouch Line rail equipment used from 1933-1947 is held in the Denver, CO public library's Special Collections.[11]
In summer 2013, the Crouch Line was featured in an exhibit in theAdelstein Gallery inThe Journey Museum in Rapid City.[12]
The railroad started on the west side ofRapid City, South Dakota. It continued along the north shore of Canyon Lake and ran up Rapid Canyon throughJohnson Siding, Hisega, Big Bend, and Canyon City. From there, it ran toPactola (which is now submerged underPactola Lake) and on toSilver City, and followed Rapid Creek to its final stop at Mystic. There, it connected to theChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which ran north towards Deadwood, Lead, and Spearfish Canyon and south towards Hill City; theChicago & Northwestern Railway; and theChicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.[5][7]
The present-daySouth Dakota Highway 44 closely follows the old path of the Crouch Line.US 385 crosses over the old path at Pactola Lake.[7]
| International | |
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| National | |
