Hill City is not only a tourist town, but also home to the South Dakota State Railroad Museum. Originally housed in a Pullman railroad car in the early 1990's, the museum has since grown and moved into this small building. The museum is behind the two large wood doors.
It is basically one large room with posters, signs and paintings on the walls, and displays scattered around.
This is my favorite painting. It depicts people boarding a train in Buffalo Gap in a snowstorm. Brrrr!
A model train display takes up about a quarter of the room. It included locomotives and rolling stock from many of the railroads that operated in SD and some that are still in operation.
There are replicas of famous trains from around the US and scenes from around the state.
This train had been around twice before I noticed the freeloader in the box car.
Menu and dinnerware typical of many passenger rails. What was expensive is still expensive.
Outside were some static displays of train cars and equipment.
We had hoped to enter some of these cars, but they were off limits, except for
,
this caboose.
Steam engine with a load of pine logs.
One of the Pullman cars was made into a snack bar with outdoor seating behind the freight display.
Brock, Leola, Duane and I have all been to lots of railroad museums, and we all agree that this one was no great shakes. The biggest draw is the working train which was out on a run while were here. The ride features the same cars, but sometimes are pulled by steam locomotive and sometimes by diesel. The 1880 train would of course be steam. The trains run through the Black Hills from Hill City to Keystone and back, a 2 hour, 20 mile round trip. We all thought that the $28 tickets were a bit pricey, but the trains are always full. I guess lots of folks don't agree.
Tomorrow is moving day--new rv park, new state.
Louise and Duane
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