Hi Everyone,
Its been a while since I posted, a lot of life changes. Anyway I am rolling around a few ideas for a switching layout located in Deadwood SD around 1900-1920 and was wondering what types of industries would have been serviced by the railroad?
Thanks,
Sean
Actually, Deadwood was a gold mining town, as well as a rail center (terminal of a Burlington branch that ran 2-6-6-2s and an interurban trolley line to Lead, and headquarters of the Deadwood Central, both 3 foot gauge.) During the early 20th century the local roads were barely better than game trails and motor transport was in its infancy, so everything moved by rail. Food, fuel, forage, building materials, mine machinery, railroad supplies, dry goods and everything else needed to keep a small, rather busy settlement going had to be brought in by rail.
As for specific facilities, I’m afraid I can’t be very helpful. Present-day Deadwood (or even 1980s Deadwood) is very different from the situation a century ago.
There is one book that will give some insight into the railroads - Railroads of the Black Hills. I can’t name any titles about Deadwood’s history, but I’m sure they’re out there.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - Rapid City resident 1979-1993)
Chuck,
Thanks for the book reference! I am a CNW modeler, which had terminated in Deadwood. I am not sure when the line stated operation, I’m thinking late 1800’s, but it was abandonded in the early 70’s it think. I would like to model Deadwood around the turn of the century in N-scale using Bachmann ten wheelers and Model Power 4-4-0 locos but I am also rolling around the idea of modeling it in the 60’s using old Alco locos.
Yeah, I Google Earthed Deadwood and could not find any railroad line that are still there it looks like a right away is being used as a bike path.
Sean
Googling for Deadwood, SD and railroad, I find:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadwood_Central_Railroad
(New Search term “Deadwood Central Railroad”)
There are references to a “Freemont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley” depot in Deadwood - another search term. Reached Deadwood in 1890, merged into the Chicago and Northwestern in 1903.
On this page about Black Hills Railroads is mentioned one “Grand Island and Wyoming Central” reaching Deadwood in 1891. In 1904, the “Deadwood Central Railroad” and “Grand Island and Wyoming” were both merged into the C&NW.
All of these links have further references to books.
Smile,
Stein
Thanks Stein,
Your assistance is always appreciated.
Sean
I agree with Chuck that the book Railroads of the Black Hills by Mildred Fielder is likely the best single source. This was published by Bonanza Books in 1960 and is long out-of-print. Way back when I was a student at VPI, it was a book that I would pull off the shelf at the library there when I needed a “fix” of old railroad photographs. I found a copy for myself not too long ago at a train show, apparently part of an estate sale and at a very reasonable price. This is in large part a photo book, although there are some locomotive rosters. Your local library may be able to get it for you on interlibrary loan.
You might also want to take a look at the site of the steam tourist railroad that is still operating out there, with an operating 2-6-6-2, no less:
Bill
If you are really interested, you might try the USRA valuation surveys done around WW1 when the government nationalized the railroads. They are at the Library of Congress, are not digitized, and its a fairly daunting process to track down what you want, if they have it. but that would have all the physical plant that the railroad’s owned, tracks, buildings, bridges, etc.
I found this map of Deadwood (and environs) dated 1913:
This map takes “image enhancement” well.
You can see the CNW tracks and also the CBQ. And the roads. There were some, apparently. Oh, and “all” the buildings,too. Although I don’t see much intricate trackage, I do note what looks like a mine in the northeast part of tiown. And some other large buildings that were most likely commercial ventrues. I found it at this site:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/south_dakota/
The “Burlington Northern Annual, 1976-77” has an article about Deadwood.
Ed
After looking at the Greater Deadwood map – Whatever the industry chosen – It has the potential for some neat names. Example: There are a lot of “gulch” areas and some include a “…wood.” Just looking at the map got thinking out of the Bill Hickock mind-set.
A few notes.
Deadwood got its name when the first settlers arrived and found a lot of downed timber. Apparently there had been a recent natural event that knocked down most of the local trees. Recent? Most of the wood was useable, not rotted.
Forget the 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 locos. The local lines used 2-6-0 and 2-8-0 types, and the Burlington finally went to 2-6-6-2 Mallets (which were only rated 250 tons Edgemont, SD, to Deadwood. The tonnage restriction resulted in the Deadwood branch becoming the last stand of the four wheel bobber caboose. There were some serious grades on all of the routes into/out of Deadwood.
That present-day trail mentioned above is the former Burlington right-of-way.
Chuck (Former Rapid City resident modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
If you can find them Sanborn Maps would probably give a lot of the info you want. Most libtaries in SD have access to digitized copies for 1867 -1970 from the South Dakota State Library. However on line access requires a library card. The Library of Congress has Sanborn Maps for Deadwood SD 1885-1948 but they are not digitized.
“Railroads of the Black Hills” by Mildred Fielder, Library of Congress #64-21320.
“Making the Grade” a century of Black Hills Railroading, by Rick W. Mills ISBN #0-9615321-0-6,
Library of Congress #85-90412.
“At The Foot Of The Mountain” by John R. Honerkamp, Sr., Library of Congress #78-60033. Chapter 3 of this book is about the railroads that served Piedmont SD, maps and great photos.
“Kirk” just outside of Deadwood had a power plant fired by Wyoming coal. Other stuff; tin, feldspar, mica, lumber, all out going.
Also, starting in 1912 or 1913 railroads operating in the Black Hills were required to have oil fired locos.
A very good article to get if it is still available is from the CNW Historical Society- the Spring 1997 North Western Lines has a multipage photo-laden article and map in it by Rick Mills about the CNW and predecessor road (Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley) in Deadwood and the surrounding area.
It should be noted that Deadwood was not the end of track on the line over from Whitewood, it was a dual-gauge town on the CNW- with a narrow-gauge branch up to Crown Hill (18 miles to the west by rail) which served numerous mines in the area such as the General Grant, Last Portion, Old Portion, Monroe, Green Point and Silver Spring mines (all of which are shown on the centerfold map in the issue) and a dual-gauge line over to Lead- both of which were built before 1900. Two major mines in Deadwood itself were the Deadwood Mine and the Delaware Mine- there was also a cyanide mill that served the mines. CNW/FE&MV had a station, freight house and five stall roundhouse at Deadwood. These are pictured in the issue, along with many good photos of the town, the CNW/FE&MV equipment and locomotives used on the narrow gauge and dual gauge lines (notably class G 4-8-0s).
Another resource to contact would be the Black Hills Mining Museum who could provide much more information and photos of what Deadwood looked like during this time. It is located in Lead-
There’s one `industry’ without which Deadwood wouldn’t be Deadwood. To model it, you need a largish two story frame house. Paint the door purple (!) and mount a red light over it.
Don’t know when Pam’s Purple Door opened, but it lasted until an anti-vice drive in the early '80s. They wanted to clean up the place so flatlanders tourists wouldn’t be offended…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Photos of Deadwood:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/picturepages/PP-Deadwood18-Number10Saloon.html
Article with photo of Pam’s Purple Door location
http://www.examiner.com/article/pam-s-purple-door-was-always-open