C&S 9 and WP&Y 69 at the Black Hills Central

[Kurt Maechner]

I know this is minutiae, but I always enjoy picking up something new in preservation history.  I was perusing old copies of the Bob Richardson's Narrow Gauge News, this time from July 1956, and discovered that C&S No. 9 was loaned to South Dakota's Black Hills Central tourist route as backup power.  Their main power was to be White Pass & Yukon No. 69 which the News noted had left Skagway by steamer on May 11, 1956.

Since C&S 9 merely sat unused in Hill City from 1956 to 1988, I never knew the original motive for acquiring the engine (and her 3 C&S cars).  

In doing some research online I also found, from the grand source of it-might-be-true-or-not-information Wikipedia, that the availability of C&S No. 9 and her 3 cars from the Burlington influenced the Black Hills Central to go narrow gauge in the first place.  

Here is a question, though, Jason Midyette's book about No. 9, One Short Season, comments that the Black Hills Central could not run No. 9 because of a 1912 law in South Dakota forbidding the use of coal burning engines.  Was WP&Y No. 69 already an oil burner in 1956?  

Also, did the BHC plan to convert No. 9, but just never did so?

Any ideas, insights, or speculations?

I have a working document chronicling the background of each of the five surviving C&S locomotives that I update occasionally when I come across something new.  I added some of the above info to what is now Update 9 if you'd like to check it out.
Kurt

Below is a photo of No. 69 and No. 9 in 1961.  The photo is from Ralph over at the ngdiscussion forum

[Mike Trent]

Hi, Kurt. My understanding is that the CB&Q took #9 and cars #13, #76, and their own #911 back to Aurora for use in the World's Fair in Chicago in about 1940, then stored in Aurora until used at the Chicago Railroad Exposition a few years later. It was for that event that #9 was dolled up as "Chief Crazy Horse". Also appearing at the Exposition was D&RGW #268, also dolled up as "Montezuma". After the Exposition, #9 and its train were returned to Aurora for storage and/or disposition. The guy who was trying to get the Black Hills Railroad going in the Black Hills made a deal to take #9 and the train as the alternative was that it would be scrapped and he thought he could use the narrow gauge cars for his train. Probably not long after, the Black Hills operation was converted to Standard Gauge, and the stuff just was left to rot and decay for years. #9 was in unspeakable condition when Todd Hackett and I went up there to measure and photograph the equipment for Overland models in the mid 80's. It had been used as essentially a public restroom and was a disgrace.

That the equipment was eventually returned home to Colorado was a miracle.  

[Keith Hayes]

I first encountered #9 and train at Hill City about 1970. My Grandparents took me on a trip to see the Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore and Lead, SD.

It must have been right before Memorial Day because the crew was getting whatever locomotive ready after winter storage. Grandpa was happily yielding to my desire to see the trains.

While I explored,  he struck up a conversation with the crew and quickly found out that the had enough pressure to blow the whistle and could his grandkid have the honor? Sure!

He hunted me down and explained the situation and what kid in his right mind would turn down THIS opportunity? I climbed up into the cab and the Hostler explained that I needed to pull on a "jump rope" cord on the cab roof. I must not have been an ounce over 60 pounds at the time and practically hung on the role with no results. So the Hostler put his hand over mine and gave the cord a proper long pull.

IT WAS REALLY LOUD.

I think I set a world record scampering out of the cab and into the bench front seat of the Buick next to Grandma.

Thus ended my brief day in engine service.

The next day we toured the Homestake Gold Mill and I have a vivid memory of walking by the enormous settling tanks full of sulfuric acid. I was just a bit taller rhan they were and I recall giving them wide berth should some acid suddenly splash out and melt me.

Those were the days before the EPA and OSHA got all their regs. rolled out widely.