The Blackhawk Railway Historical Society holds monthly Meetings that are open to the public and features programs about railroading's past, present and future. We also publish a bimonthly newsletter, the Spike & Tie, that covers local railroad news and history, along with updates on Blackhawk meetings, projects, special events, news and society business.
A chapter of the National Railway Historical Society since 1969, Blackhawk includes working and retired professional railroaders, historians, railfans and those who simply have an interest in railroading. If this describes you, we invite you to Join Us.
We have worked with local communities, groups, historical societies, other organizations and the press in developing and promoting events and projects that recognize the railroad's significance and history. See our Projects page to see what Blackhawk is doing to preserve railroad history and promote railroading's future.
For all correspondence (other than membership), please E-mail us
Board of Directors, Appointed and Elected Officers
A chapter of the National Railway Historical Society since 1969, Blackhawk includes working and retired professional railroaders, historians, railfans and those who simply have an interest in railroading. If this describes you, we invite you to Join Us.
We have worked with local communities, groups, historical societies, other organizations and the press in developing and promoting events and projects that recognize the railroad's significance and history. See our Projects page to see what Blackhawk is doing to preserve railroad history and promote railroading's future.
For all correspondence (other than membership), please E-mail us
Board of Directors, Appointed and Elected Officers
- Bill Molony - President
- Dave Daruszka - Vice-president, Program Director
- Michael Riha - Treasurer, Webmaster, Newsletter Editor
- Bruce Haffner - Director at Large
- John Eagan - Director at Large
- Peter Viall - Membership Chair
- Open positions: Secretary, National Director
About our name...When founded in 1969, the original members used decided to use the name "Blackhawk." It was a reference to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy overnight passenger train of the same name. Many members at that time had an interest in the Burlington and there were even plans to create a railroad museum in Aurora, Illinois.
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(Train #48, "Black Hawk" led by CB&Q 4000 "Aeolus" at Chicago, IL; 1939. Otto Perry photo, Denver Public Library)
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(Amtrak "Black Hawk" photo by John T. Riha)
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Amtrak resurrected the Black Hawk name for a state-sponsored service that ran Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque, IA on ICG's Iowa Division from 1974 to 1981. The Blackhawk Railway Historical Society, Inc. is a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and is not affiliated with the former Blackhawk Films or the Chicago franchise of the National Hockey League. |
Chicago Railroad History Month -
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Unfortunately, the idea didn't gain the momentum we had hoped for, so we have set it aside for now...keeping in mind that 2048 will mark the 200th anniversary.