Wilmington and Western Railroad

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Wilmington and Western Railroad
File:WW Logo rollover.png
File:WW DoubleHeader-1.jpg
No. 98 double-heading with No. 58 in October 2006
Overview
HeadquartersMarshallton, Delaware
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+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length10.2 miles (16.4 km)
Other
Websitewwrr.com
Wilmington and Western Railroad
DE 41
Hockessin
Red Clay Creek
DE 82, Yorklyn
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
DE 48
Red Clay Creek
Faulkland
Faulkland Road
Red Clay Creek
Red Clay Creek
Greenbank
DE 41
DE 2
Greenbank
Marshallton Yard
DE 62
Landenberg Junction
Philadelphia Subdivision

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 & 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

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

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

Locomotives

Locomotive details[13][14][15]
Number Image Wheel arrangement Builder Type Build date Serial Number Status
58 File:Wilmington and Western 58 smokebox.jpg 0-6-0 Baldwin Locomotive Works Steam 1907 31899 Operational
92 File:Wilmington and Western Engine 92, Marshallton DE.png 2-6-0 Canadian Locomotive Company Steam 1910 930 Stored, awaiting restoration
98 File:Wilmington and Western Railroad No. 98 - August 2009 - 02.jpg 4-4-0 American Locomotive Company Steam 1909 45921 Undergoing FRA inspection and overhaul
114 File:WW engine114-1.jpg SW-1 (B-B) Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC) of General Motors Diesel 1940 1021 Operational
4662 File:WW Doodlebug1.jpg Doodlebug (B-B) Pullman Standard Railcar 1929 6202-22697 Operational
8408 File:B&O 8408.jpg SW-1 (B-B) EMC Diesel 1940 1106 Operational

Former units

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[lower-alpha 1] File:Wilmington Western Railroad No.37.jpg 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 File:Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad No. 14 in Gaithersburg, Maryland - August 2022 - 03.jpg 2-8-0 ALCO Steam 1918 Gaithersburg, Maryland
425 File:RBM&N 425 Jim Thorpe.png 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 File:W&W 3, 410.jpg 0-6-0T Vulcan Steam 1943 Honey's Farm Fresh Gourmet Kitchen
D-3 File:B&O 9115.jpg S2 (B-B) ALCO Diesel 1949 West Chester Railroad

Rolling stock

Rolling stock details[20][21][16]
Number Builder Type Build Date Status
410 Pullman Company Passenger Car 1914 Operational
571 Pullman Company Passenger Car 1914 Operational
581 Pullman Company Passenger Car 1914 Operational
603 Pullman Company Passenger Car 1915 Operational
6795 Pullman Company Passenger Car 1930 Operational
442 Altoona Works Open-Air Car 1912 Operational
450 Altoona Works Coach 1912 Operational
C149 Erie Railroad Caboose 1941 Operational
C2013 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Caboose 1926 Operational

Gallery

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "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. 4.0 4.1 Interstate Commerce Commission, 42 Val. Rep. 1 (1933): Valuation Docket No. 1068, The Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company and its Leased Lines
  5. 5.0 5.1 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. 16.0 16.1 "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. "Cabooses". Wilmington and Western Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2018.

Notes

  1. No. 37 was paired with an auxiliary tender during it's time at the WWRC.

External links

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