Joseph R. Douda Black Hills Railroading Collection

Joseph Douda was born on September 19, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. In May of 1937, Joseph and his family relocated to a farm south of Westmont, Illinois. In August of 1942, they moved into the village of Westmont. Joseph attended public schools in Westmont until 1948 and graduated from Downers Grove High School with the class of 1952. Further education included trade school, the DeVray Institute, class of 1953.

After school, Joseph worked for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company in the map department, as an investigator in 1952; in train service from September 1952 to January 1953; and in the Freight Claim Department as an investigator. Joseph then went on to work as an apprentice electrician at the Fisher Body division of General Motors on October 8, 1953; and graduated from the four-year course, which was based on hours worked and hours of schooling, in December of 1955. He retired on June 30, 1989, from the Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac division of General Motors, which was the successor to the Fisher Body Division.

On a personal note, Joseph married Joanne Wright on June 26, 1971, with whom he had two daughters: Kathryn Ann, born April 14, 1972, and Diane Lynn, born May 7, 1973.

Joseph became interested in Black Hills railroading during the fall of 1952. He has been to the Black Hills every year, sometimes twice per year, from 1956 until 1989, and again in 2000. He belonged to the Burlington Route Historical Society (BRHS) and was a charter member. He was honored as a researcher on October 14, 2006, by the BRHS in recognition of preserving Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad's history. Most of his work was done at the Newberry Library and CB&Q headquarters in Chicago from 1952 through 2003. Joseph wrote several brief articles on CB&Q history.

Books that Joseph was involved with include several by the late Bernard Corbin and three CB & Q passenger car books by William Glick. He also co-authored an article on B & MR locomotives with Al J.J. Holck.