The Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company is a Class III

Class III railroad

A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...

 short-line railroad, formed in 1977 to operate several branch lines of the former Penn Central Railroad in both Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

 and Delaware

Delaware

Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...

. These branches were omitted from the system plan for Conrail in 1976 and would have been discontinued without state subsidies. As an alternative to the higher cost of subsidizing Conrail as operator of the branch lines, the Maryland and Delaware governments selected Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company (MDDE) to serve as the designated operator.

The railroad did not actually own any of the track it uses until 2000 when it acquired a line, between Frankford, Delaware

Frankford, Delaware

As of the census of 2000, there were 714 people, 227 households, and 172 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,012.7 people per square mile . There were 258 housing units at an average density of 365.9 per square mile...

 and Snow Hill, Maryland

Snow Hill, Maryland

Snow Hill is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Worcester County.-History:...

, from the Snow Hill Shippers Association. Today, the railroad operates on more than 120 miles of track and runs out of a restored station in Federalsburg, Maryland

Federalsburg, Maryland

Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,642 at the 2009 census. The ZIP code is 21632. The primary phone exchange is 754 and the area code is 410.-Town features:...

.

History

MDDE incorporated in the State of Maryland on June 20, 1977 as a closely held, small railroad company. At that time, the states of Maryland and Delaware were paying subsidies to Conrail for branch lines, still owned by Penn Central, serving rural communities.

The Maryland Department of Transportation selected MDDE to operate three of the rural branch lines in August 1977. These included the current Northern and Seaford Lines, and the discontinued branch between Clayton, Delaware

Clayton, Delaware

Clayton is a town in Kent and New Castle counties in the U.S. state of Delaware. Located almost entirely in Kent County, it is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2.918 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...

 and Easton, Maryland

Easton, Maryland

Easton, founded 1710, is a town within the Easton District of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,708 at the 2000 census, and 14,677 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Talbot County. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the...

. Maryland purchased the two branches served by the MDDE Northern and Seaford Lines.

Snow Hill Shippers Association purchased the branch currently known as the Snow Hill Line in 1982 and hired MDDE to serve as operator. MDDE became owner of the branch in 2000.

MDDE was awarded a five-year contract by Delaware in 1994 to operate a branch between Ellendale, Delaware

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...

 and Milton, Delaware

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 branch between 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...

 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....

. These branches were part of the former Queen Anne's Railroad

Queen 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. MDDE did not seek renewal of the Delaware contract and operation of the two lines was returned to the previous contractor, 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 1999.

The current 5-year operating contract with the Maryland Transit Administration

Maryland Transit Administration

The Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...

 for the North Line and Seaford Line became effective in 2008. Two 5-year renewal options allow the contract to be extended until 2023.

Lines operated

The Maryland and Delaware Railroad operates on three distinct segments of track throughout the Delmarva Peninsula

Delmarva Peninsula

The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...

. Each segment intersects 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...

.

• The Northern Line intersects Norfolk Southern in Townsend, Delaware
  Townsend, Delaware
  Townsend is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,049 at the 2010 census, an increase of 492.2% from 2000...
  
   and heads west towards Massey, Maryland
  Massey, Maryland
  Massey is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...
  
  , where the line splits into two branches, one destined for Chestertown, Maryland
  Chestertown, Maryland
  Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
  
   and the other destined for Centreville, Maryland
  Centreville, Maryland
  Centreville is an incorporated town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, United States. Incorporated in 1794, it is the county seat of Queen Anne's County. The population was 1,970 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 21617 and the area code is 410. The local telephone exchange is 758...
  
  .
• The Seaford Line intersects Norfolk Southern in Seaford, Delaware
  Seaford, Delaware
  Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,928, an increase of 3.4% from the 2000 census...
  
   and continues west towards Cambridge, Maryland
  Cambridge, Maryland
  Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
  
  , passing through Federalsburg, Maryland
  Federalsburg, Maryland
  Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,642 at the 2009 census. The ZIP code is 21632. The primary phone exchange is 754 and the area code is 410.-Town features:...
  
   and Hurlock, Maryland
  Hurlock, Maryland
  Hurlock is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,874 at the 2000 census. It is home to WAAI radio. Joyce Spratt is the current mayor, and the town has five council members—Michael E. Henry , Michael D. Nordstrom , Parker J. Durham , Charles T. Cephas and...
  
  .
• The Snow Hill Line intersects Norfolk Southern in Frankford, Delaware
  Frankford, Delaware
  As of the census of 2000, there were 714 people, 227 households, and 172 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,012.7 people per square mile . There were 258 housing units at an average density of 365.9 per square mile...
  
   and continues south towards Snow Hill, Maryland
  Snow Hill, Maryland
  Snow Hill is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Worcester County.-History:...
  
  .

MDDE route maps

• Northern Line
• Seaford Line
• Snow Hill Line
• MDDE system map

Major clients

Customer	Location	Rail Line
American Paving	Bishop Bishop, Maryland Bishop is an unincorporated community in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Bishop is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 113 and Maryland Route 367 just south of the Delaware state line.-References:...	Snow Hill
B&G Foods	Federalsburg Federalsburg, Maryland Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,642 at the 2009 census. The ZIP code is 21632. The primary phone exchange is 754 and the area code is 410.-Town features:...	Seaford
Crop Production Services	Carville	Northern
ES Steel	Federalsburg	Seaford
Genovique	Chestertown Chestertown, Maryland Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...	Northern
Harbor Sales	Sudlersville Sudlersville, Maryland Sudlersville is a town in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. The ZIP code is 21668 and the area code is 410. The population was 391 at the 2000 census...	Northern
Interstate Corrpack	Cambridge Cambridge, Maryland Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...	Seaford
Kent County Co-op	Kennedyville Kennedyville, Maryland Kennedyville is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...	Northern
Pep-Up	Selbyville	Snow Hill
Perdue Farms Perdue Farms Perdue Farms is a major chicken processing company based in Salisbury, Maryland, United States with annual sales in excess of $4.6B.-Origin and war era:...	Hurlock Hurlock, Maryland Hurlock is a town in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,874 at the 2000 census. It is home to WAAI radio. Joyce Spratt is the current mayor, and the town has five council members—Michael E. Henry , Michael D. Nordstrom , Parker J. Durham , Charles T. Cephas and...	Seaford
Perdue Farms	Roberts	Northern
Perdue Farms	Lynch Lynch, Maryland Lynch is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...	Northern
Reliance Wood Preserving	Federalsburg	Seaford
Solo Cup Company Solo Cup Company Solo Cup Company is a manufacturer of consumer packaging products: disposable beverage cups, disposable plates and bowls. Solo Cup Company is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and in 2006 had sales of $2.4 billion.-History:...	Federalsburg	Seaford
Southern States Cooperative Southern States Cooperative Southern States Cooperative is a agricultural supply cooperative owned by more than 300,000 farmers in the United States. Southern States Cooperative supplies farmers with feed, seed, fertilizer, farm supplies and fuel...	Lynch	Northern
Tri-State Gas & Oil	Williamsburg Williamsburg, Maryland Williamsburg is an unincorporated community in Dorchester County on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland.-Notable people:Jim Stevens, a Washington Senators baseball player in 1914, was born in Williamsburg in 1889....	Seaford
Tyson Foods Tyson Foods Tyson Foods, Inc. is a multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas, that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork only behind Brazilian JBS S.A., and annually exports the largest percentage of beef out of...	Snow Hill Snow Hill, Maryland Snow Hill is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Worcester County.-History:...	Snow Hill
Wenger's Feed Mill	Massey Massey, Maryland Massey is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...	Northern
Willard Agri-Service	Lynch	Northern

Hurlock Express

MDDE provides an engine for the "Hurlock Express" at the annual Hurlock Fall Festival. Train rides during the one-day event, held on the first Saturday of October, run from the town of Hurlock's historic train station (built in 1867) to Federalsburg, along the MDDE's Seaford Line. The town of Hurlock owns the train station and two passenger cars.

In 1892 Hurlock became the intersection of the Delaware Railroad and the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railroad, which are no longer operating. The MDDE's Seaford Line is the only rail line now serving the town. Except for the Hurlock Fall Festival, MDDE does not provide passenger service.

Engine roster

Locomotive Number	Model	Location	Line Served
801	EMD SW900 EMD SW900 An EMD SW900 is a diesel switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between December 1953 and March 1969. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 8-cylinder engine that generated 900 horsepower...	Massey, MD	Northern
802	EMD SW8M EMD SW8 An EMD SW8 is a diesel shunting/switching locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between September 1950 and February 1954. Power is supplied by an EMD 567B 8-cylinder engine, for a total of ....	Wilimington, DE Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
1201	RS3m RS3m The RS3m is a diesel locomotive rebuilt from an ALCO RS-3 road switcher. There are many variations with various spotting features, the common features being the ALCO RS-3 frame, trucks, and usually cab and short hood...	Massey, MD	Northern
1202	RS3m	Massey, MD	Northern
1203	RS3m	Federalsburg, MD	Seaford
2628	CF7 CF7 A CF7 is an EMD F-unit railroad locomotive that has had its streamlined carbody removed and replaced with a custom-made, "general purpose" body in order to adapt the unit for road switching duty. All of the conversions were performed by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in their Cleburne,...	Federalsburg, MD	Seaford
2630	CF7	Selbyville, DE Selbyville, Delaware As of the census of 2000, there were 1,645 people, 615 households, and 439 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,176.9 people per square mile . There were 664 housing units at an average density of 475.1 per square mile...	Snow Hill
2632	CF7	Selbyville, DE	Snow Hill