Wawa and Concordville Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Wawa and Concordville Railroad (W&C) was a steam
tourist and recreational railroad
in the US
state of Pennsylvania
during the late 1960s. Although it has been defunct since 1968, it continues to have a lasting effect on the steam tourist industry.
Continued popularity is due to its heavy promotion during its existence, and being only about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Philadelphia, it was located near a busy urban setting. The Wawa and Concordville never lacked patronage during its short life and had a large base to draw from.
Chamber of Commerce in 1966. It ran from Concordville
, alongside U.S. Route 322
, eastward to the village of Wawa
. The railroad did not own the right of way in which they ran, but leased the trackage rights
from the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR), which would eventually lead to the demise of the company.
The actual track that the Wawa and Concordville ran was the eastern most section of the Octoraro Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. This branch was famous as the main means of shipping large quantities of mushroom
s from farms in Chester County
to market in Philadelphia. By the mid 1960s most of the mushrooms were shipped by truck, but a few freight train
s still ran the line each week. The organizers of the Wawa and Concordville worked out a lease with the PRR that allowed them to begin operations in 1967.
The railroad had two vintage steam locomotives. The first was former U.S. Navy 0-6-0T #3, which was popular with small children, because it was painted in non-traditional blue. The other was former Pacific Coast Lumber 2-8-2T #37, which was painted black. Most of the passenger cars were old wooden boxcar
s that had been converted into open observation passenger cars prior to their use on the W&C.
During the 1968 season, several homeowners along Pole Cat Road, near Concordville, complained of the noise and smell of steam locomotives literally coming across their yards. They pressured the current landlord, the Penn Central Transportation Company (PC), who opted not renew the Wawa and Conconcordville’s lease when it expired in 1968. Not wanting to give up, the owners of the W&C continued to renegotiate a lease even after they were forced to halt operations.
Just before a possible rebirth of the tourist line in the early 1970s, a flash flood in September 1971 and Hurricane Agnes
in 1972 severely damaged the infrastructure. The bankrupt PC decided to remove the line from service, not having the funds for necessary repairs. At the time, 12 freight cars were marooned on the derelict line.
where they ran on the Wilmington and Western Railroad. Some of the converted boxcars were scrapped, but two still remain near the site to this day, albeit in deplorable condition. A third one is in Marshallton, where it is now used as a flatcar
. U.S. Navy, #3 was later moved to Lewes, Delaware
to run on the Queen Anne's Railroad
. Today, bearing no resemblance to its days on the W&C, it is a part of a railroad themed restaurant in Ocean View, Delaware
. #37 was on a siding in Marshallton, but was moved to the Strasburg Railroad for major repairs in February 2009, which will lead to its eventual return to California, where it originally ran.
The line itself was never formally abandoned. Under pressure from the large part of Chester County served by the Octararo line, state politicians arranged for SEPTA to buy the entire line, including the still in-service section west of Chadds Ford into the state of Maryland
. The nearby U.S. Route 1
corridor has developed with upper income housing heavily since the 1970s, and the line was expected to become a future suburban passenger route. However, no serious proposals have been put forth by the state, county or SEPTA. Rails and wooden ties
remain in place, but are buried beneath soil or are rotting away.
The Wawa and Concordville Historical Society was formed in 2003. It is run by Paul Calpin, A. Marc DeCaro and Jenny Simpson. A good deal of the existing right of way and equipment have been documented by this group. There is also a G scale
Model railroad layout
in Delaware.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
tourist and recreational railroad
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
during the late 1960s. Although it has been defunct since 1968, it continues to have a lasting effect on the steam tourist industry.
Continued popularity is due to its heavy promotion during its existence, and being only about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Philadelphia, it was located near a busy urban setting. The Wawa and Concordville never lacked patronage during its short life and had a large base to draw from.
History
The Wawa and Concordville was one of the earlier steam tourist railroads. It was conceived by local businessmen with the support of the Delaware CountyDelaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
Chamber of Commerce in 1966. It ran from Concordville
Concordville, Pennsylvania
Concordville is an unincorporated community in Concord Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 20 miles west-southwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of U.S. Routes 1 and 322. This intersection can be traced back to two of the earliest roads in Pennsylvania,...
, alongside U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926...
, eastward to the village of Wawa
Wawa, Pennsylvania
Wawa is an unincorporated community located in Middletown Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Named for the Ojibwe word for "goose" ,Wawa was originally known as Grubb's Bridge...
. The railroad did not own the right of way in which they ran, but leased the trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
from the Pennsylvania Railroad
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....
(PRR), which would eventually lead to the demise of the company.
The actual track that the Wawa and Concordville ran was the eastern most section of the Octoraro Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. This branch was famous as the main means of shipping large quantities of mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s from farms in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
to market in Philadelphia. By the mid 1960s most of the mushrooms were shipped by truck, but a few freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s still ran the line each week. The organizers of the Wawa and Concordville worked out a lease with the PRR that allowed them to begin operations in 1967.
The railroad had two vintage steam locomotives. The first was former U.S. Navy 0-6-0T #3, which was popular with small children, because it was painted in non-traditional blue. The other was former Pacific Coast Lumber 2-8-2T #37, which was painted black. Most of the passenger cars were old wooden boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
s that had been converted into open observation passenger cars prior to their use on the W&C.
During the 1968 season, several homeowners along Pole Cat Road, near Concordville, complained of the noise and smell of steam locomotives literally coming across their yards. They pressured the current landlord, the Penn Central Transportation Company (PC), who opted not renew the Wawa and Conconcordville’s lease when it expired in 1968. Not wanting to give up, the owners of the W&C continued to renegotiate a lease even after they were forced to halt operations.
Just before a possible rebirth of the tourist line in the early 1970s, a flash flood in September 1971 and Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
in 1972 severely damaged the infrastructure. The bankrupt PC decided to remove the line from service, not having the funds for necessary repairs. At the time, 12 freight cars were marooned on the derelict line.
The Wawa and Concordville today
Many traces of the popular tourist destination still remain. While the station was destroyed by fire, the locomotives and cars remained at the site for another 10 years. Both locomotives eventually were moved to Marshallton, DelawareMarshallton, Delaware
Marshallton is an unincorporated community in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The community was founded in 1836 and is named for John Marshall, mill owner.-Geography:...
where they ran on the Wilmington and Western Railroad. Some of the converted boxcars were scrapped, but two still remain near the site to this day, albeit in deplorable condition. A third one is in Marshallton, where it is now used as a flatcar
Flatcar
A flatcar is a piece of railroad or railway rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels or a pair of trucks or bogies . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads...
. U.S. Navy, #3 was later moved 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....
to run on the 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...
. Today, bearing no resemblance to its days on the W&C, it is a part of a railroad themed restaurant in Ocean View, Delaware
Ocean View, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,006 people, 458 households, and 321 families residing in the town. The population density was 495.0 people per square mile . There were 751 housing units at an average density of 369.6 per square mile...
. #37 was on a siding in Marshallton, but was moved to the Strasburg Railroad for major repairs in February 2009, which will lead to its eventual return to California, where it originally ran.
The line itself was never formally abandoned. Under pressure from the large part of Chester County served by the Octararo line, state politicians arranged for SEPTA to buy the entire line, including the still in-service section west of Chadds Ford into the state of 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...
. The nearby U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway, extending from the Florida Keys in the south to the Canadian border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for from the Maryland state line near Oxford to the New Jersey state line near Trenton.-Maryland to Interstate...
corridor has developed with upper income housing heavily since the 1970s, and the line was expected to become a future suburban passenger route. However, no serious proposals have been put forth by the state, county or SEPTA. Rails and wooden ties
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
remain in place, but are buried beneath soil or are rotting away.
The Wawa and Concordville Historical Society was formed in 2003. It is run by Paul Calpin, A. Marc DeCaro and Jenny Simpson. A good deal of the existing right of way and equipment have been documented by this group. There is also a G scale
G scale
G scale is a scale for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways.-LGB:...
Model railroad layout
Model railroad layout
In model railroading, a layout is a diorama containing scale track for operating trains. The size of a layout varies, from small shelf-top designs to ones that fill entire rooms, basements, or whole buildings....
in Delaware.