Delaware Coast Line Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Coast Line Railroad is a short-line railroad located in Sussex County, Delaware
. The company operates two lines on track owned by the State of Delaware: One running from Ellendale
east to Milton
and another running from Georgetown
east to Lewes
. The railroad interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway
in Ellendale and Georgetown.
, which began providing rail service between Queenstown, Maryland
and Lewes, Delaware
in 1894, and extended its track to Love Point, Maryland
in 1902.
Through a complex chain of acquisitions in 1905, the track previously owned by the Queen Anne's Railroad became part of the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway Company (MD&V), a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad. MD&V was consolidated with another subsidiary in 1923 to form the Baltimore and Eastern Railroad (B&E), which incorporated in Maryland on June 13, 1923. Passenger service on the B&E was discontinued in October 1931.
Delaware Coast Line Railroad incorporated in Delaware on June 23, 1982 and began operating the Ellendale-Milton and Georgetown-Lewes segments of the former Queen Anne's Railroad under contract with the State of Delaware, current owner of these segments.
Maryland and Delaware Railroad
took over operation of the two rail lines in 1994 when it was awarded a five-year contract by Delaware. MDDE did not seek renewal of the Delaware contract and operation of the two lines was returned to the Delaware Coast Line Railroad in 1999.
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Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
. The company operates two lines on track owned by the State of Delaware: One running from Ellendale
Ellendale, Delaware
Ellendale is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 381 at the 2010 census, an increase of 16.5% since 2000. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area. Ellendale is the "Gateway to Delaware's Resort Beaches" because it is the city located on U.S...
east to Milton
Milton, Delaware
Milton is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, in the United States. The population was 2,576 at the 2010 census, an increase of 55.5% over the previous decade. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area. Delaware Route 5 passes through Milton.- History :Located at the head of...
and another running from Georgetown
Georgetown, Delaware
Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade...
east to Lewes
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
. The railroad interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
in Ellendale and Georgetown.
History
The rail lines operated by Delaware Coast Line Railroad were part of the former Queen Anne's RailroadQueen Anne's Railroad
The Queen Anne’s Railroad was a railroad that ran from Love Point, Maryland to Lewes, Delaware and was connected to Baltimore via ferry. The Queen Anne's Railroad company was formed in Maryland in 1894, and received legislative authorization from Delaware in February 1895...
, which began providing rail service between Queenstown, Maryland
Queenstown, Maryland
Queenstown is a town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 617 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Queenstown is located at ....
and Lewes, Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
in 1894, and extended its track to Love Point, Maryland
Love Point, Maryland
Love Point is the name for the northernmost tip of Kent Island, and as such, marks the southern point of the mouth of the Chester River. It has served as a major ferry terminal, the western terminus of the Queen Anne's Railroad, and the nominal western terminus of Maryland Route 18...
in 1902.
Through a complex chain of acquisitions in 1905, the track previously owned by the Queen Anne's Railroad became part of the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway Company (MD&V), a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad. MD&V was consolidated with another subsidiary in 1923 to form the Baltimore and Eastern Railroad (B&E), which incorporated in Maryland on June 13, 1923. Passenger service on the B&E was discontinued in October 1931.
Delaware Coast Line Railroad incorporated in Delaware on June 23, 1982 and began operating the Ellendale-Milton and Georgetown-Lewes segments of the former Queen Anne's Railroad under contract with the State of Delaware, current owner of these segments.
Maryland and Delaware Railroad
Maryland and Delaware Railroad
The Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company is a Class III short-line railroad, formed in 1977 to operate several branch lines of the former Penn Central Railroad in both Maryland and Delaware. These branches were omitted from the system plan for Conrail in 1976 and would have been discontinued...
took over operation of the two rail lines in 1994 when it was awarded a five-year contract by Delaware. MDDE did not seek renewal of the Delaware contract and operation of the two lines was returned to the Delaware Coast Line Railroad in 1999.
Engine roster
| Locomotive Number |
Model | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ALCO RS-36 ALCO RS-36 The ALCO RS-36 is a diesel-electric locomotive of which 40 were produced by ALCO between February 1962 and August 1963 for seven railroads.-Original Owners:-External links:* Sarberenyi, Robert. .... |
Indian River (Delaware) Indian River (Delaware) The Indian River is a river and estuary, approximately 15 mi long, in Sussex County in southern Delaware in the United States.... |
| 19 | ALCO T-6 ALCO T-6 The Alco T6 was a diesel-electric locomotive of the switcher type rated at , that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement.... |
Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown, Delaware Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade... |
| 23 | ALCO RS-1 ALCO RS-1 The ALCO RS-1 was a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Alco-GE between 1941 and 1953 and the American Locomotive Company from 1953 to 1960. This model has the distinction of having the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market.The carbody configuration of... |
Georgetown |
| 182 | MLW RS-18 MLW RS-18 The MLW RS-18 was an 1800 hp diesel-electric locomotive built by Montreal Locomotive Works between December 1956 and August 1968... |
Georgetown |
| 4024 | GE B23-7 GE B23-7 The GE B23-7 is a diesel locomotive model that was offered first by GE in 1977, featuring a 12 cylinder engine. It is 61 ft 2 in long. It competed with the EMD GP38-2. General Electric also produced a variant, the BQ23-7, for the Seaboard Coast Line.Ten Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México... |
Millsboro, Delaware Millsboro, Delaware As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile... |
| 4054 | GE B23-7 | Georgetown |
| GE 44-ton switcher GE 44-ton switcher The GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores... |
Georgetown | |
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Major clients
| Customer | Location |
|---|---|
| Atlantic Concrete Co., Inc. | Lewes, Delaware Lewes, Delaware Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000.... |
| Barcroft Company | Lewes |
| VFL Industries | Indian River (Delaware) Indian River (Delaware) The Indian River is a river and estuary, approximately 15 mi long, in Sussex County in southern Delaware in the United States.... |
| H & K | Indian River |
| Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) |
Georgetown |
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