Wilmington and Northern

Red Arrow Fan wrote:I'm not sure if this is technically about the Wilmington & Northern, but I have some questions about the part of this rail line from Coatesville to Elverson, PA (and beyond).

1. When did service stop on this segment (and when were the rails ripped up)?

2. Are the rails gone as far south as the Amtrak mainline in Coatesville?

3. Where did it go, northward after Elverson?


I just saw an aerial shot of the Elverson area on maps.live.com. Where the line used to pass under the PA Turnpike is now packed with stone. The Google satellite photo still shows a 3-bay overpass carrying the Turnpike over the ROW and a creek, I presume (not a sharp photo).

I don't know the answer to 1. , but

2. The rails go a little bit north of the Main Line towards what used to be Valley Station, but they're gone before the bypass.

3. After Elverson it ran through Joanna and eventually joined the Reading main at Birdsboro.

And yes, that is the Wilmington and Northern you are talking about.

chefwrg wrote:Robert, anything new happening on the W&N?


Win

Nothing really new to report on this line. We are replacing some ties down in DE. and also looking into building a new siding in Pocopson.

This past Friday about 3PM, I was fortunate enough to see two engines at Pocopson crossing (the first time!). The engines stopped at the siding (adjacent to the hardware store). I didn't stay long enough but perhaps they were going to pick up some tank cars? Can some confirm the movement?

If my memory severs me right, I do believe that they did pick up tank cars and then headed for the switch go up the Octoraro line. From there, they would then go switch one of the customers in Avondale.

Last company to operate passenger trains on the W&N or Octoraro was the the Delaware Valley RR successor to the Octoraro RR. They had 2 RS-32's and some of the old Octoraro equipment.

Story, as I remember it.....Septa owned the line, and leased it to Octoraro, then DV for operation.
SEPTA was broke, as always, and wanted to (or was told to) sell the line. DV didn't have money
to buy the RR, so the brain trust in PA politics struck a deal with Brandywine Valley (the steel mill, essentially)
to operate the line. They were only interested in getting steel from coatesville to the CSX, so they let the
Octoraro deteriorate, closed the office at Kennett Square, and operated absolute minimal service.
I guess there must have been some complaining from Herrs, and the fertilizer companies that used
the team tracks at Avondale.
Anyway, somehow the PA politicos were convinced to sell (or lease, I don't really know) the W&N and
Octoraro to a real RR operator. May also have had to do with change of ownership of the steel mill
at coatesville. I think the M&E operated the RR for an interim period, and is now operated by the East Penn.

Anyone know the current roster operated by East Penn on these lines?

S.E.P.T.A. bought the East-West Octoraro branch of the Pennsylvania RR, not the North-South Wilmington & Northern branch of the Reading. However, freight service on both lines was usually run by the same short line after ConRail day, 4/1/76. I think the W&N between South Modena and the Delaware state line was bought by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from the Reading, as ConRail didn't want it.

The PA Turnpike bridge just South of Elverson that allowed the W&N to pass under was found to be in need of repair several years ago The Turnpike came up with the idea to fill in the right of way with crushed stone to the bottom of the bridge and then pump concrete in to finish filling the gap. This way the work had no effect on the traffic on the Turnpike. The rest of the line from Bridgeport to just North of Coatesville was pulled up in the 80's and as far as I know, the only remaining trace of the line is the former station at Elverson, now used as a field office for a politician.

RLN

Approxiamately 1949 my grandmother and aunt travelled on W & N from Coatesvile to Kenneys (west of Elverson). My recollection as a young boy is that only freight was hauled from that time until it was abandoned. I lived in the farmhouse at Kenneys from 1948 until 1963. Another interesting fact is that there was a spur at Elverson that led to St. Peters Quarry. I remember as a child riding in parents car in the early 1950s I could see from Route 23 railroad cars still sitting on this spur. The line went directly into the mine. The Delaware and Lancaster Railroad also served the quarry. I have accumulated enough text and images on the W & N Railroad to write a book. Let me know if you would like to read more of the articles.

Do you have anything from the Northbrook,Lenape,Pocopson, Chadds Ford area? I grew up over the hill from the tracks in Pocopson in the 60's and 70's

The W&N at Elverson . At Elverson there was a wye and the branch that split off was known as the French Creek Branch, that went to St. Peters Village. The Delaware River and Lancaster RR came up from Kimberton to St. Peters, This line was also known as the French Creek Valley RR. At St. Peters there was also a wye track.
I helped write a book about the Delaware River and Lancaster RR a few years back it's a 200 page soft cover book. DR&LRR was also known as the Sow Belly RR.
The french Creek Branch of the Reading was known as the Bore's Back RR. At Joanna there was a spur that went up to Grace Mines it crossed Route 10.

Hope that helps,
Len.

Hello everybody, I was wondering if any of you knew about a stop on the Wilmington and Northern Railroad called "Brandywine Park" operating around 1870's near Pocopson?

Would this be the exact location where the Pocopson Veterinary Station is today? If I am correct the actual park was located a little ways south on the rail where Rt 926 crosses the Brandywine River. If so, then people getting off of the train to picnic at the park would have to have walked a good distance?

Any information pertaining to this question would be greatly appreciated!!!

Mark
www.markdance.com

Hello,
I am new to this site and I live in Chadds ford. My wife is a veterinarian and she practiced in the Pocopson Vet Station. This is on the Brandywine River at the 926 bridge.

I am familiar with the history about a Wilmington and Northern Railroad stop in the 1870s called "Brandywine Park". Question: Is the Pocopson Vet Station the original stop for the Brandywine Park? It would seem that the Brandywine Park stop would be at least several hundred yards south....unless they made visitors and picnickers walk half a mile to the Park.

Please note that I am not talking about Lenape Park. Which is half a mile north near the forge. That park came decades later and put Brandywine Park out of business.

Thank you for any information or maps you can provide.

Mark Dance
www.markdance.com

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4T ... Chester_PA

Len.

That's the site of the old Lenape Park, I used to live over the hill from the Pocopson Station. I spent a good amount of time in there when it was a post office.
I don't ever recall hearing about a Brandywine Park. I'm sure I would of as my parents were really into the history of the area. Are you sure it wasn't the old Lenape Park? There used to be a dance hall across from the old Lenape Train station and I know that Lenape was a destination point for people from the city. Actually, the West Chester trolley used to run out there.

Win

Hello and thanks for replying to my question. I am mistaken as to the name of the park I am inquiring about. I see from my old map that the stop was called "Birmingham Park" "Brandywine aka Lenape Park" was north about a mile.
I have an excellent description of the Wilmington and Northern stop just before Pocopson Station...but I just can't locate the exact point. I'd like to post the scanned map and description but can't find out how to post the pictures on this site. Should you want to see it, I'd like to send it to you. My email is [email protected]

Win, I live here in Pocopson and used to hunt arrowheads on the now Elementary school site. Do you know the Woodwards?

Mark