Edgemont (BNSF)

Edgemont functions as a crew change point on the BNSF mainline connecting Gillette, Wyoming, to Alliance, Nebraska—one of the highest-tonnage freight corridors in North America, moving over 100 million tons annually. Trains running the Butte Subdivision (MP 364–476 from Alliance) and the Black Hills Subdivision (northward to Gillette) swap crews here, which means most trains slow, stop, or restart within view of the town's public streets and grade crossings. Nearly 50 pool crews were based in Edgemont as of early 2023, underscoring the volume of traffic. The yard includes a switching facility where local freights are assembled. Because trains are often stationary or crawling during crew changes, you can study locomotive consists, read hopper reporting marks, and listen to the deep turbo whine of multiple GE units spooling up at close range—all from legal public vantage points just yards from the main line. The broad, flat terrain means locomotive horns and rail clatter carry over long distances but dissipate quickly, so the noise is dramatic without being overwhelming. Note: a 2025 KOTA-TV report indicated BNSF may be considering discontinuing the crew stop at Edgemont, which could significantly alter the railfanning experience here if implemented.

Edgemont sits at 3,458 feet elevation on the southern fringe of the Black Hills, just south of the Elk Mountains. The surrounding landscape is classic High Plains: golden bunchgrass, low sage, and distant buttes under an enormous dome of sky. The town lies at the intersection of US Highway 18 and SD Highway 471, with a population of roughly 845 (2023). Summer days bring intense sun and dramatic cumulus build-ups that create striking backdrops for train photography, while evenings paint the horizon in pastel pinks and oranges. Winters are crisp, windy, and cold, with sweeping visibility accentuated by snow-dusted ridges to the west. Light pollution is minimal in this remote prairie community; after dusk, the Milky Way is clearly visible and passing locomotives cast stark headlight beams across the open rangeland.

The BNSF mainline through Edgemont carries approximately 24 trains per day according to 2023 Federal Railroad Administration data. The vast majority are loaded and empty coal unit trains hauling Powder River Basin sub-bituminous coal from Wyoming mines toward markets in the Midwest, Texas, and the Gulf Coast. These trains typically run up to 135 cars at roughly 19,350 tons, stretching well over a mile in length. Beyond coal, expect a handful of manifest, grain, and intermodal trains daily—perhaps three to five—providing variety in car types and locomotive paint schemes. Motive power is predominantly BNSF-owned GE units. The double-track, CTC-controlled mainline is rated for speeds up to 60 mph, though most trains slow significantly for the crew change. The yard also serves as an occasional locomotive storage facility; during the 2016 coal market downturn, 95 locomotives were stored at the Edgemont yard awaiting improved demand.

The crew change dynamic is Edgemont's biggest photographic advantage—trains stop or crawl, eliminating the need for high-shutter pan shots and allowing deliberate compositions. The double-track mainline runs roughly east-west through town, so morning light illuminates eastbound movements and afternoon sun favors westbound trains. The flat, open terrain allows train-in-landscape framing with the Black Hills ridgeline visible to the north and west. For elevated perspectives, the US-18 road corridor west of downtown offers slightly higher ground overlooking the yard. Telephoto lenses (200–400mm) work well for compressing the long coal trains against the prairie horizon, while wider angles (24–70mm) capture the full sweep of locomotive consists idling in the yard. The consistent clear skies and minimal obstructions mean you can shoot from almost any public street adjacent to the tracks. Exhaust plumes from multiple locomotives are a signature element, particularly in cold weather when they rise dramatically against the big South Dakota sky.

Edgemont was created in 1890 by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) as the terminal and yard for its extension into the Black Hills. Construction of what became known as "The High Line"—the route from Edgemont north to Deadwood—began on May 15, 1890, and was completed on January 24, 1891. In just eight months, crews laid over 100 miles of track, blasted four tunnels, and erected more than 100 trestles through rugged Black Hills terrain. The line served mining freight, passengers, and the growing communities of the Hills for decades. The last Burlington passenger train departed Deadwood for Edgemont in 1949, marking the end of regular passenger service. The CB&Q merged into Burlington Northern in 1970, which later became BNSF. The High Line was abandoned in stages—Custer to Lead/Deadwood in 1983, then Edgemont to Custer in 1986—and the railbed was converted into the 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail, which opened fully in 1998. Tragically, on January 17, 2017, two BNSF roadway workers—gang foreman Richard Lessert and motor vehicle operator Douglas Schmitz—were struck and killed by a westbound train at milepost 477 in Edgemont. The NTSB investigation (report NTSB/RAR-18/01) found the probable cause was improper use of train approach warning procedures.

Edgemont occupies a rare niche among Powder River Basin railfanning locations: it combines heavy coal tonnage on a world-class freight corridor with convenient in-town access and legal public vantage points within yards of the main line. The reliable crew change means most trains stop or crawl through town, giving photographers and enthusiasts extended observation time without needing remote gravel-road access that characterizes many other PRB viewing spots. The town also sits at the junction of the Butte and Black Hills subdivisions, so all north-south coal traffic between Gillette and Alliance funnels through this single point. As the southern trailhead of the George S. Mickelson Trail—built on the historic CB&Q High Line railbed—Edgemont also connects active heavy-haul railroading with preserved railroad heritage in a way few locations can match.