WILMINGTON, Del. — The Wilmington & Western Railroad will suspend operations for the 2025 season “to conduct important maintenance and repairs to our beloved equipment,” according to a statement posted on the railroad’s website on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
The statement from the board of directors for the railroad’s parent organization, Historic Red Clay Valley Inc., says the railroad does not have a date set to resume operations.
The statement was posted the day after a Trains News Wire article reporting the suspension, based on a message to the volunteers of the nonprofit operations [see “Wilmington & Western Railway operations indefinitely paused,” News Wire, Feb. 24, 2025]. The railroad had not responded to News Wire inquiries about the suspension that began Feb. 12.
The 10.2-mile tourist railroad, which operates steam, diesel, and doodlebug excursions, dates to 1966, and purchased its route — the former B&O Landenberg Branch — from Chessie System in 1982. Its history includes shutdowns in 1999 and 2003 because of storm damage.
The Delaware News Journal reports, in a Thursday, Feb. 27, article that General Manager Kevin Martin said the railroad does not yet know what specifically needs repairs, but is evaluating equipment, and has a year-long plan for repairs that has him confident the railroad will run again. He did not discuss costs.
— Updated Feb. 27 at 4:22 p.m. with comments from local news article.
Hold on…closed for repairs, but they don’t know what needs repairs?
Cannot find spare parts for their locos??