Nostalgia & History > Mystery Railroad

Last week, while on a trip to the Badlands National Park, I saw many signs of an abandoned right of way that ran east out of Rapid City, SD, towards the Badlands area. It looks like this line was pulled up fairly recently, since the trestles I saw looked to be in good condition. There were even some old tie piles laying around. My knowledge of railroad geography, past and present in this area is very weak so I would appreciate any information about this former line.

1. This trestle is located about 50 miles east of Rapid City.

2. This old yard limit sign is still standing at Caputa, SD, about 20 miles east of Rapid City.

Thanks in advance. Sorry about the rather poor picture quality, but it was raining hard at the time.

Brian Black
Retired SP/UP Conductor

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My old Handy Railroad Atlas of the United States shows two lines going east out of Rapid City, a former Chicago & Northwestern line (later DM&E, now being set up as a Watco operation if I have my facts right) to the north and the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Rapid City branch to the south, which is what I would assume you were seeing. This branch extended from Mitchell, South Dakota, west to Rapid City and appears to have been built by the Milwaukee Road about 1906. The State of South Dakota purchased the line when the Milwaukee Road gave up in 1980. Burlington Northern initially operated the easternmost 67 miles of the line from Mitchell as far as Chamberlain, replaced in 1987 by the shortline Dakota Southern. Dakota Southern rehabilitated the line in 1988 as far west as Kadoka, 100 miles east of Rapid City. Rails were still in place from Kadoka west to Rapid City at least into the late 1980s; as per Google Earth imagery dated 16 August 2013 the rails are still in place to a little west of Kadoka and then gone from that point west.

BNSF grain rates and some other issues eventually forced the Dakota Southern to cease operations over almost its entire line, and for quite a few years it was down to about a mile of switching track in Mitchell. The Mike Williams Group bought the company a few years ago and has been gradually reopening it...I seem to remember some discussion of a new grain loading terminal and sporadically successful applications for TIGER and other grants to help rehabilitate track and re-establish service...I've lost track in recent months about how far west they are planning to go. Anyone know?

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV

On 8/22/74 I imaged CMSTP&P SD10 #559 in Rapid City, SD. It was the only unit I saw there. That night I camped at Badlands N.P. In the middle of the night I heard the e/b train for about an half hour. The next day I imaged #559 in Mitchell, SD. Again, it was the only unit I saw there. Gerry

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559 was out on the coast in the Milwaukee's final days here.

It was leading the last MILW lines west train I ever saw (A Sumas turn rolling through Bellevue WA)

The people of South Dakota still own the ROW and track structure from Mitchell to Kadoka. The line was removed from Kadoka to Interior after 1996. Four of us rode our Motorcars on it that year. The line from Mitchell to Chamberlin was rebuilt by the State a couple years ago. When I rode it two years ago the yard at Chamberlin was being rebuilt, also State money I believe. The next plan is work on the Missouri river bridge to include replacing the walkway and track work to the next town West. After that I'm not sure.
Mike Williams is only an operator under contract with the State thus cannot tear it up like he likes to do with RR's
Steve

JDLX Wrote:
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> My old Handy Railroad Atlas of the United States
> shows two lines going east out of Rapid City, a
> former Chicago & Northwestern line (later DM&E,
> now being set up as a Watco operation if I have my
> facts right) to the north and the former Chicago,
> Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Rapid City branch to
> the south, which is what I would assume you were
> seeing. This branch extended from Mitchell, South
> Dakota, west to Rapid City and appears to have
> been built by the Milwaukee Road about 1906. The
> State of South Dakota purchased the line when the
> Milwaukee Road gave up in 1980. Burlington
> Northern initially operated the easternmost 67
> miles of the line from Mitchell as far as
> Chamberlain, replaced in 1987 by the shortline
> Dakota Southern. Dakota Southern rehabilitated
> the line in 1988 as far west as Kadoka, 100 miles
> east of Rapid City. Rails were still in place
> from Kadoka west to Rapid City at least into the
> late 1980s; as per Google Earth imagery dated 16
> August 2013 the rails are still in place to a
> little west of Kadoka and then gone from that
> point west.
>
> BNSF grain rates and some other issues eventually
> forced the Dakota Southern to cease operations
> over almost its entire line, and for quite a few
> years it was down to about a mile of switching
> track in Mitchell. The Mike Williams Group bought
> the company a few years ago and has been gradually
> reopening it...I seem to remember some discussion
> of a new grain loading terminal and sporadically
> successful applications for TIGER and other grants
> to help rehabilitate track and re-establish
> service...I've lost track in recent months about
> how far west they are planning to go. Anyone
> know?
>
> Jeff Moore
> Elko, NV

Indeed, this is the former MILW from Mitchell and points east. The
"Yard Limit" sign is actually a flanger sign, put there to alert
plow crews to raise the flanger for a switch or a grade crossing.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

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