Queen Anne's Railroad
Encyclopedia
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. The railroad's original western terminus was in Queenstown, Maryland
, and was moved via a 13 miles (20.9 km) extension to Love Point in 1902, which shortened the ferry trip to Baltimore.
The Queen Anne's Railroad Company began operating a summer-only Cape May Express between Queenstown, Maryland and Lewes, Delaware in 1901 with a connecting steamer to Cape May, New Jersey
. The company owned and operated the Queen Anne's Ferry & Equipment Company which consisted of the steamers Endeavor, Queen Anne and Queen Caroline.
Through a complex series of acquisitions in 1905, Queen Anne's Railroad ceased to exist and its assets became the property of the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway Company (MD&V), a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad
.
Much of the rairload's original track has been abandoned, but segments are still used for freight rail service by the Delaware Coast Line Railroad
. In Queen Anne's County, Maryland
, a project has converted much of the railroad right-of-way into part of the Cross Island Trail
, a rail trail
which is in turn part of the American Discovery Trail
. The path of the railroad is approximated today by the following roads:
A Delaware state historical marker in Milton and another in Ellendale's historic Railroad Square district commemorate the railroad. The original railroad stations in Stevensville and Sudlersville are both still in existence and serve as museums.
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...
to 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....
and was connected to Baltimore via ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. The Queen Anne's Railroad company was formed in Maryland in 1894, and received legislative authorization from Delaware in February 1895. The railroad's original western terminus was in 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 was moved via a 13 miles (20.9 km) extension to Love Point in 1902, which shortened the ferry trip to Baltimore.
The Queen Anne's Railroad Company began operating a summer-only Cape May Express between Queenstown, Maryland and Lewes, Delaware in 1901 with a connecting steamer to Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
. The company owned and operated the Queen Anne's Ferry & Equipment Company which consisted of the steamers Endeavor, Queen Anne and Queen Caroline.
Towns served
The following towns were served by the Queen Anne's Railroad:Current status
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
.
Much of the rairload's original track has been abandoned, but segments are still used for freight rail service by the Delaware Coast Line Railroad
Delaware Coast Line Railroad
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...
. In Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Queen Anne's County is a county located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 47,798. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville is the county's most populous place...
, a project has converted much of the railroad right-of-way into part of the Cross Island Trail
Cross Island Trail
The Cross Island Trail is a National Recreation Trail in Queen Anne's County, Maryland that traverses the width of Kent Island. It is a rail trail, occupying a section of the abandoned Queen Anne's Railroad corridor. It was built during the late 1990s and early 2000s with the full trail being...
, a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
which is in turn part of the American Discovery Trail
American Discovery Trail
The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
. The path of the railroad is approximated today by the following roads:
- Maryland Route 18Maryland Route 18Maryland Route 18 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from the beginning of state maintenance at Love Point east to MD 213 in Centreville...
- U.S. Route 50U.S. Route 50 in MarylandU.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting...
- Maryland Route 404Maryland Route 404Maryland Route 404 is a major highway on Maryland's Eastern Shore in the United States. It runs from Maryland Route 662 in Wye Mills on the border of Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties, southeast to the Delaware state line in Caroline County, where the road continues as Delaware Route 404 to Nassau...
- Maryland Route 16Maryland Route 16Maryland Route 16 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Taylors Island east to the Delaware state line in Hickman, where the highway continues as Delaware Route 16...
- Delaware Route 16
- Delaware Route 1
- U.S. Route 9U.S. Route 9 in DelawareIn Delaware, U.S. Route 9 runs an east–west path through the heart of Sussex County. Even though U.S. Route 9 is signed north–south for the rest of its route, the segment in Delaware is considered east–west. The highway runs from its southern terminus at U.S. Route 13 in Laurel...
.
A Delaware state historical marker in Milton and another in Ellendale's historic Railroad Square district commemorate the railroad. The original railroad stations in Stevensville and Sudlersville are both still in existence and serve as museums.