Black Hills and Western Railroad
| Locale | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1893–1947 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 36.043 miles (58.006 kilometres) |
| Headquarters | Rapid City, South Dakota |
The Rapid City, Black Hills and Western Railroad, also known simply as the Black Hills and Western Railroad and commonly referred to as the Rapid Canyon Line or the Crouch Line, is a defunct standard gauge freight railroad line that operated in the Black Hills in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The railroad became known throughout the area for its crookedness and later became a tourist attraction. It ran from Rapid City to Mystic for a distance of 36.043 miles. The railroad ceased operations in 1947.
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.
The Crouch Line was one of many railroads in the Black Hills that experienced the area's boom and bust. Most of these early railroads were short-lived, and the main reason for the failures was flash flooding. The Crouch Line entered the planning stages in the early 1890s, with the purpose of connecting Rapid City to the central Black Hills. The initial line from Rapid City to Dark Canyon was completed in 1893. In 1896, C.D. Crouch raised money to extend the line to Mystic. Crouch also hoped to later extend the line into Wyoming and to the Missouri River. Construction on the line from Dark Canyon to Mystic began in 1901 and was completed in 1906, 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.
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