Delaware Coast Line Railway

[motor1]

Next week, the Savannah Road (Business Rt. 9) crossing over the DCL will closed for removal of the rails. It will be the first crossing of the abandoned line to be removed.

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motor1

[RockGp40]

Word on the street is that the DCLR may lose the contract for their lines come the end of the year. The second half of that is the Delmarva Central RR will take over the line(s).

Stay tuned.

[RailVet]

That is true. DCLR President Dan Herholdt told me last week it was coming, and on the evening of Tuesday, May 22, he confirmed that the state would not be renewing his contract and the DCR would be taking over starting on January 1. He will be selling off his locomotives, caboose, etc. He and the DCLR hadn't done anything wrong or underperformed -- quite the contrary! But this is the way things work.

[Teutobergerwald]

The advent of Delmarva Central and the demise of the service to SPI Pharma definitely killed DCLR. I hope the T-6, RS-18 and RS-36 are acquired by LA&L or one of the other Northeast ALCO strongholds.

[RailVet]

Despite with the loss of SPI Pharma and about one-third of the eastern end of the line, the DCLR had even higher carloads and more companies seeking to locate along its remaining route. Things were looking up; however, what the DCLR had no control over was the decision-making by the state.

[Teutobergerwald]

Railvet, thanks for the DCLR updates, and keep us apprised of what happens with their Alcos.

[ShortlinesUSA]

Interesting that state law does not require Delaware to put the line out to competitive bid. Not too many states I'm aware of that can just decide who operates a state-owned line on a whim. Now, we all know they can "rig" the bid to get who they want by how the contract is written, but they at least have to go through the dog and pony show.

Despite with the loss of SPI Pharma and about one-third of the eastern end of the line, the DCLR had even higher carloads and more companies seeking to locate along its remaining route. Things were looking up; however, what the DCLR had no control over was the decision-making by the state.

[RailVet]

I'm not familiar with the details of how the state picks one operator over another, but as far as I know, it's a competitive bid, and the winner was the Delmarva Central Railroad (of Carload Express). The DCLR was already doing a fine job but that was no guarantee of being picked to continue operating in the future.

But whatever method the state chooses to select operators for its lines, the reality is that the DCLR will be out of the rail business by the end of the year and the DCR will be the one running over the tracks in question. I wish the DCR continued success in the future. After reading about the Bay Coast Railroad's recent end of operations over most of its track, we could use some good news stories for a change.

[ShortlinesUSA]

Thank you for that clarification on the competitive bid. All the reports I had heard on the DCLR didn't mention any bid or that DCR won the award; only that DCLR was informed they would no longer have the contract as of the end of they year.

[RailVet]

I looked into the process further and learned the state's decision is based upon a scoring system and a proposal that includes marketing, equipment, experience, personnel, etc. Unfortunately for the little DCLR, Carload Express' DCR could out-score the shortline in every category, despite the fact that the DCLR had an excellent, spotless record and customers had not sought another operator.

The DCLR will be out of there by year's end but they will be able to leave with their heads held high. They did a great job without a huge amount of resources to back them up, and they've been the kind of shortline that rail buffs enjoy visiting and photographing. They'll be missed!

[Teutobergerwald]

Love their fleet of Alco/MLW power, too.

[RockGp40]

Don't think for a second that the only other remaining short-line prior to the DCR on the Delmarva is not aware of what is transpiring either.

Also, for those who have been around a while, the DCLR lost the contract for 5 years in the 1990s to operate both lines. 1994-1999 if I remember correctly.

[Teutobergerwald]

Yes, the MDDE operated the DCL trackage for the state of Delaware during that time. Hmmmmm......

[RailVet]

The DCR took over the northern portion of the BCR largely out of necessity and in coordination with the BCR in order to provide continuous service to BCR customers. The documents filed with the STB indicate this situation was driven by the impending retirements of three of the four BCR employees, leaving the railroad unable to continue operations.

The DCR will also take over operations on the DCLR after the end of the year, having put together a bid that impressed the state as having more resources available. This turn of events isn't driven by collapse, as in the case of the BCR; instead, the opportunity to take over the DCLR's lines was easily available.

Whether the DCR will go for the MDDE too remains to be seen, and if that is indeed the case, I doubt anyone in the upper levels of the company will publicly admit it at this point.

[Teutobergerwald]

Passed over the Lewes Branch this morning N/B on Coastal Highway heading home from vacation and saw the tracks are gone. Rail is still embedded in the crossing visible from the overpass. Sorry to see this happened to DCL, and the Lewes-area.