The 1880 Train is hosting the third annual Prairie to Peaks Iron Horse Rail Summer Camp in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) June 8-11 in Hill City, SD. Registration forms and detailed information are available online. The camp is free, and campers are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The camp’s main purpose is to teach young people, ages 11-15 years, rail safety around highway/rail grade crossings, railroad rights-of-ways, rail equipment and rail operations. In addition, it educates them about the many different crafts that are necessary to operate a railroad and exposes them to the opportunities available in the rail industry.
The camp is free other than transportation to and from Hill City, thanks to many sponsors. Lodging, meals, transportation to Mount Rushmore, admission to the South Dakota State Railroad Museum, bike rentals for exploring the George S Mickelson Trail and a T-shirt are included with the camp.
“Registrations have grown each year,” says camp organizer Ken Naylor, who is also a railroad safety specialist/chief inspector with the FRA of the U.S. Department of Transportation. “The 1880 Train is the perfect place in the Black Hills to provide this opportunity for our future railroad fans.”
