5OTH ANNIVERSARY GALLERY
For 50 years, Blackhawk has been studying and celebrating our area's railroad heritage. Here are some highlights:
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October 1971Item in Railroad Magazine, and although our membership fee is slightly higher, we stil think its a bargain!
Photo submitted by John Eagan |
1974 - Rock Island Bicycle Specials"Bicycle excursions" on the Rock Island were sponsored by the Blackhawk Chapter of the NRHS. Bicyclists were dropped at Ottawa, IL, and pedaled to Utica, IL via Starved Rock State Park while the train deadheaded to Bureau Jct and was turned on the wye. Trains consisted of the Rock Island's E-units pulling a collection of out-of-work baggage cars, coaches, single-level suburban cars, and even a surprise guest piece of equipment.
Photos of an April 1974 excursion by Don Crimmin (right) and John Riha (below) |
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On YouTube, Joseph Cipar has posted an extensive library of his films and videos of Chicago area railroading from the 1970s through 2000s.
Starting at the 11:55 mark, in this film from October 1974 is another Blackhawk bike special on an overcast day. Notice the former Burlington suburban power car that the society once had an ownership interest in, along with the Blackhawk drumhead on the rear coach. (Although we highly recommend you watch the whole video.)
Starting at the 11:55 mark, in this film from October 1974 is another Blackhawk bike special on an overcast day. Notice the former Burlington suburban power car that the society once had an ownership interest in, along with the Blackhawk drumhead on the rear coach. (Although we highly recommend you watch the whole video.)
1977 & 1978 - Chessie Steam Specials
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Blackhawk members served as car hosts as the Chessie System celebrated 150 years of American railroading with former Reading 2101 pulling excursions over the former B&O/C&O lines.
The 1977 trip was a round trip from Barr Yard to division point town of Garrett, Indiana on the former Baltimore & Ohio main line through the Hoosier State. The 1978 trip was a one-way ferry move to Wyoming Yard outside Grand Rapids, Michigan on the former Pere Marquette, a route used by Amtrak today. Photos by John and Michael Riha. |
Summer 1980 - EJ&E East Joliet Yard Tour
One of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana's unique railroads, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern formed a semi-circle around Chicago and was owned by, and served, U.S. Steel for years. Not long after moving their meetings out to Joliet, Blackhawk members got the opportunity to view "the J's" yard and shops on the east side of the city. The highlight was a ride on one of their SD38s through the engine facilities, including an unexpected trip down a track that had been "torpedoed."
Photos by John and Michael Riha.
Photos by John and Michael Riha.
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Spring 1991 - ATSF Corwith Yard TourAfter the merger attempt with Southern Pacific failed, the Santa Fe retooled itself, with developments like a partnership with trucker J.B. Hunt and the return of the red and silver colors on new "Super Fleet" power. In 1991, as the railroad was starting on its final chapter, before merger with the Burlington Northern, Blackhawk members were invited to a tour of Santa Fe's main Chicago yard, Corwith, with visits to the hump, fueling rack and yard tower.
Photos by John and Michael Riha. 
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July to August 2005 - Scott Special Display at Joliet Area Historical Museum
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On Tuesday, July 11, 1905, a three-car passenger train chartered by noted charlatan and showman Walter “Death Valley” Scott passed through Joliet, Illinois at 11:02 a.m. en route to Chicago. Crowds lined the tracks to see the train charge through town. The train finally came to a stop in Chicago, having made the run of 2,265 miles from Los Angeles in 44 hours and 54 minutes!
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of “The Scott Special,” Blackhawk produced an exhibit displayed during the July and August of 2005 at the Joliet Area Historical Museum incorporating historical accounts, promotional items and a model of “The Scott Special” as it approached Joliet at Santa Fe's Lorenzo station. Books and maps rounded out the exhibit and railroad-related activities for both adults and children were held in July and August to accompany this exhibit. |
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September 18, 2010 - Lockport Depot 150th Anniversary
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On a rainy Saturday morning, the Blackhawk noted the historical status of our hometown station with a formal ceremony recognizing the station's 150th anniversary.
A key stop on Metra's Heritage Corridor, the commuter rail operator expanded the parking lot and platforms in 2010 while leaving the historical station in place. The City of Lockport also did some much needed touch-up work for the event. Read more about it on our Lockport Depot page. |
October 14, 2012 - Celebrating 100 Years of Joliet Union Station
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The Blackhawk Railway Historical Society recognized the station's 100th Anniversary with a gala banquet on October 14, 2012 in the Grand Ballroom at Joliet Union Station, the former waiting room, recreating the banquet of 100 years ago celebrating the building of the station and the raising of the tracks out of the streets of downtown Joliet. It was followed by a presentation by Joe Petric and a presentation on the Joliet Gateway project.
For their efforts to recognize the historical station, the Blackhawk Railway Historical Society was presented the 2013 City of Joliet Historical Preservation Award by the city. For more, read about it on our Joliet Union Station page. |
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2011 to 2019 - Symerton Depot Move and Restoration
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The 1881-built Wabash Railroad depot from Symerton, Illinois was saved after the agency was closed in 1979 by the Norfolk and Western and building was moved board-by-board to the Will County Heritage Village in downtown Lockport, Illinois. In 2009, a project to develop a public park resulted in the eviction of the Village from its spot in downtown Lockport. A couple years later, new land was found near the former Texaco refinery and the Symerton depot and the rest of the village had a new home. Bill Molony, along with Blackhawk members Ed Merlock, and Dick Wheeler created a scale diorama of how the new village would be laid out for the benefit of the Will County Historical Society. With the depot in a new location, Blackhawk was able to get the depot exterior and interior repainted in authentic period Wabash colors, install authentic period depot signage, fix the windows, build a platform and install a small stretch of track. Read more about it on our Symerton Depot page. |
2019 - Chicago Railroad History Poster Unveilling
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To raise funds for our ongoing effort to promote October as Chicago Railroad History Month (as conceived by our own Dave Daruszka), artist and illustrator Mitch Markovitz was commissioned to create the painting seen here. It was unveilled in a special ceremony in the Burlington Room at Chicago Union Station on October 23, 2019. The painting features nearly 170-plus years of Chicago railroad history, symbolizing the railroad's role in the development of the City of Chicago and the surrounding area. For more about the Chicago Railroad History Month project, go the website at https://www.crrhm.com/ To order a print or giclee of the Chicago Railroad History Month poster, click here to go to our store. Mitch Markovitz (left) and Dave Daruska (right) stand with Mitch's original painting |