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Wilmington and Western Railroad

(Redirected from Delaware and Chester County Railroad)

The Wilmington and Western Railroad (reporting mark WWRC) is a freight and heritage railroad in northern Delaware, operating over a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) branch line between Wilmington and Hockessin. The 10.2-mile (16.4 km) railroad operates both steam and diesel locomotives. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a national historic district in 1980.[1] Wilmington & Western serves one customer for revenue service, and interchanges with CSX Transportation at Landenberg Junction, Delaware

Wilmington and Western Railroad
No. 98 preparing to haul an excursion train in May 2006
Overview
HeadquartersMarshallton, Delaware
Wilmington and Western Railroad
Wilmington and Western Railroad is located in Delaware
Wilmington and Western Railroad
Wilmington and Western Railroad is located in the United States
Wilmington and Western Railroad
Location2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware
Coordinates39°44′17″N 75°37′58″W / 39.73806°N 75.63278°W / 39.73806; -75.63278
Area73 acres (30 ha)
Built1867 (1867)
ArchitectWilmington & Western Railroad Co.
NRHP reference No.80000932[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 8, 1980
Reporting markWWRC
LocaleNew Castle County, Delaware, USA
Dates of operation1872–1877
1966–present
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length10.2 miles (16.4 km)
Other
Websitewwrr.com
Wilmington and Western Railroad
Legend
Elongated circle 41.svg DE 41
Hockessin
Red Clay Creek
Elongated circle 82.svg DE 82, Yorklyn
Elongated circle 82.svg DE 82
Red Clay Creek, Ashland
Red Clay Creek
Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove
Red Clay Creek
Mount Cuba
Wooddale
Red Clay Creek
Red Clay Creek
Elongated circle 48.svg DE 48
Red Clay Creek
Faulkland
Faulkland Road
Red Clay Creek
Red Clay Creek
Greenbank
Elongated circle 41.svg DE 41
Elongated circle 2.svg DE 2
Greenbank
Marshallton Yard
Elongated circle 62.svg DE 62
Landenberg Junction
Philadelphia Subdivision

Wilmington & Western's General Motors Diesel-Electric SW1 locomotive no. 114 is the oldest diesel locomotive in routine scheduled service, having been built in February 1940.[2]

History

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The Delaware and Chester County Railroad was incorporated in February 1867 to build from Wilmington in the direction of Parkesburg or Atglen, Pennsylvania,[3] and was renamed the Wilmington and Western Railroad in March 1869,[4] opening the line to Landenberg on October 19, 1872.[5] A foreclosure sale in April 1877 produced the Delaware Western Railroad, which was incorporated in June 1877 and merged into the Baltimore and Philadelphia Railroad, a B&O subsidiary, in February 1883.[4]

The B&O cut back the line to Southwood in the early 1940s and to Hockessin in the late 1950s. Historic Red Clay Valley, Inc. began operating steam tourist trains on weekends in 1966,[6] reusing the old W&W name, and in August 1982 the W&W bought the branch from the Chessie System for $25,000, which included Ex-B&O SW1 #8408 as a part of the purchase.[5][7] Under the Historic Red Clay Valley Inc. the operations are managed by a Board of Directors, paid staff and a large number of volunteers.[8]

In 1999, the rains of Hurricane Floyd caused considerable damage to the railroad. Two trestles were entirely destroyed by the flooding of Red Clay Creek, which also caused track washouts and damaged several other trestles. The two destroyed bridges were replaced by steel trestles, but the other timber trestles were simply repaired.

In 2003, Tropical Storm Henri struck the valley and produced an even more catastrophic flood. While the two steel bridges (and an iron trestle at Ashland) survived the flood, the remaining bridges were swept away or irreparably damaged. Despite the damage caused by these storms, the Wilmington and Western continued to operate on the remaining track, and replaced all of the destroyed bridges with steel trestles. The line officially reopened into Hockessin on June 30, 2007.

The railroad celebrated its 50th anniversary operating as a tourist railroad in 2016.[9]

Excursions

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Several different excursions are offered by the Wilmington and Western Railroad, running through the Red Clay Creek valley. Trains operate out of the Greenbank station near the southern end of the railroad. The railroad offers two regular excursions which run on weekends during the operating season. The Hockessin Flyer runs round-trip from Greenbank to the northern end of the line in Hockessin for a 2.5-hour trip with a 30-minute layover in Hockessin. The Mt. Cuba Meteor runs round-trip from Greenbank to the Mount Cuba Picnic Grove for a 1.5-hour trip with a 30-minute layover for a picnic at the Mount Cuba Picnic Grove.

The Wilmington and Western Railroad also offers several special themed excursions. Some of the themed excursions include the Easter Bunny Express, the Fireworks Express on Independence Day, a dinner train called the Royal Blue Dinner Train, the Brews on Board train serving craft brews, the Civil War Skirmish Weekend, the Princess Express, the Superhero Express, the Autumn Leaf Special offering views of fall foliage, the Halloween Express, the Holiday Lights Express offering views of Christmas lights, and the Santa Claus Express around Christmas.[10] Groups may also charter a caboose, car, or entire train for an event.[11] A caboose attached to the end of a regularly scheduled train may be rented for birthday parties.[12]

Equipment

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Locomotives

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Locomotive details[13][14][15]
Number Image Wheel arrangement Builder Type Build date Serial Number Status
58   0-6-0 Baldwin Locomotive Works Steam 1907 31899 Operational
92   2-6-0 Canadian Locomotive Company Steam 1910 930 Stored, awaiting restoration
98   4-4-0 American Locomotive Company Steam 1909 45921 Undergoing FRA inspection and overhaul
114   SW-1 (B-B) Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC) of General Motors Diesel 1940 1021 Operational
4662   Doodlebug (B-B) Pullman Standard Railcar 1929 6202-22697 Operational
8408   SW-1 (B-B) EMC Diesel 1940 1106 Operational

Former units

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Locomotive details[16][17][18]
Number Image Wheel arrangement Builder Type Build date Current owner
1 0-4-0 H.K. Porter Steam 1950 Marshallton
37   2-8-2T ALCO Steam 1925 Age of Steam Roundhouse
60 0-6-0 Pennsylvania Railroad Steam 1913 Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association[19]
14   2-8-0 ALCO Steam 1918 Gaithersburg, Maryland
425   4-6-2 Baldwin Locomotive Works Steam 1928 Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad
915 SW900 (B-B) EMD Diesel 1956 Black River Western Railroad
S-3   0-6-0T Vulcan Steam 1943 Honey's Farm Fresh Gourmet Kitchen
D-3   S2 (B-B) ALCO Diesel 1949 West Chester Railroad

Rolling Stock

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Rolling stock details[20][21][22][16]
Number Builder Type Build Date
410/571/581/603 Pullman Company Passenger Cars 1914–15
442 Altoona Works Open-Air Car 1912
450 Altoona Works Coach 1912
C149 Erie Railroad Caboose 1941
C2013 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Caboose 1926
T215 Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Auxiliary water tender Unknown
F215 Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Flatcar Unknown
701 Burro Crane Inc. Crane Unknown
17107 Unknown Flatcar Unknown
80581 Unknown Flatcar Unknown
751730 Unknown Camp Car 1937
1872 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Boxcar Unknown

Former rolling stock

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Rolling stock details[23][24][16]
Number Builder Type Build Date
37 Unknown Auxiliary tender Unknown
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  •  
    W&W No. 98 double-heading with W&W No. 58 in October 2006.
  •  
    Easter Bunny
  •  
    W&W No. 4662 operating during the holidays.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "Pictures of WWRC 114". Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  3. ^ An Act to incorporate the Delaware and Chester County Railroad Company, passed February 5, 1867
  4. ^ a b Interstate Commerce Commission, 42 Val. Rep. 1 (1933): Valuation Docket No. 1068, The Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company and its Leased Lines
  5. ^ a b Wilmington & Western Railroad: History, accessed February 2009
  6. ^ Barry, Steve (March 25, 2019). "A Visit to the Wilmington & Western Railroad". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  7. ^ John C. Rumm (1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Wilmington and Western Railroad". National Park Service. and accompanying 11 photos
  8. ^ Vazquez, Gisela (2008). The Wilmington and Western Railroad (Images of Rail: Delaware). USA: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738553627.
  9. ^ Ostroski, Drew (April 29, 2016). "Full Steam Ahead: Wilmington & Western Railroad Celebrates 50 Years". www.delawaretoday.com. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  10. ^ "Events & Fares". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  11. ^ "Train Charters". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  12. ^ "Birthday Caboose". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  13. ^ "Steam Locomotives". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "Diesel Locomotives". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  15. ^ "Doodlebug". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  16. ^ a b c "Special 50th Anniversary Historic Timeline" (PDF). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  17. ^ "Gulf, Mobile & Northern No. 425 Ownership". steamlocomotive.info. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  18. ^ "Locomotives". timberheritage.org. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  19. ^ Kaplan, Gerry (May 10, 2024). "Moving PRR #60 Locomotive". Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  20. ^ "Passenger Cars". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  21. ^ "Railway Preservation News • View topic - PRR P54 Coaches". www.rypn.org. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  22. ^ "Cabooses". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  23. ^ "Passenger Cars". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  24. ^ "Cabooses". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
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