Crawford Hill is located on BNSF Butte Subdivision between Edgemont, SD, and Alliance, NE. East of Crawford the railroad has to climb 821 feet on average grade over 1.55% over the Pine Ridge escarpment. Eastbound heavy trains get a push from a pair of Crawford Helpers for the 12 mile climb out of Crawford. Here the Crawford Helpers are doing the tireless chore of shoving this loaded coal train bound for Donie, TX, for Houston Light & Power. The train has just passed the signals at 413 and around the huge 8 degree curve near Breeze Point at a snail pace.
