New Castle and Wilmington Railroad
| Company type | Railroad company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1839 |
| Defunct | 1877 |
| Fate | Merged into the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad |
Area served | Delaware, United States |
The New Castle and Wilmington Railroad (NC&W) operated within Delaware from 1852 until 1877. Established by charter in 1839 to provide a connection between the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) and the PW&B-owned New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad (NC&F), this five-mile stretch commenced service in 1852 and was promptly leased to PW&B.
On May 15, 1877, the NC&W was officially incorporated into the PW&B, which subsequently sold it to the Delaware Railroad. Much of the former NC&W corridor has been transformed into the Jack A. Markell Trail, although certain portions continue to serve rail functions or have been adapted for roadway use.
History
The NC&W was chartered in 1839 with the purpose of linking the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) to the PW&B-controlled New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad (NC&F). Opening its line in 1852, it was immediately leased by PW&B, establishing an important regional rail connection.
The PW&B formally merged the NC&W on May 15, 1877. By 1881, this line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). In 1891, a consolidation occurred between NC&W and NC&F, creating the Delaware Branch of the Delaware Railroad, all operating under PW&B within PRR’s structure. On November 1, 1902, PW&B combined with Baltimore and Potomac to form the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad (PB&W).
Following the Pearl Harbor attack during World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces assumed control of New Castle County Airport while it was under construction. To support this facility, the Reading Railroad constructed a 1.5-mile spur branching from NC&W near I-295, providing both trolley and freight services.
The NC&W line along with the Airport Branch remained under PB&W/PRR management until 1968 when PRR merged with New York Central Railroad, creating Penn Central. After Penn Central declared bankruptcy in 1970, rail operations—including those on NC&W—were transferred to the federally owned Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) in 1976.
The section running from Farnhurst, Delaware to the Shellpot Secondary, known as the New Castle Industrial Track, along with the Airport Branch, ceased operations on August 30, 1972; tracks were dismantled by 1975. Tracks south of Farnhurst were withdrawn from service during the late 1970s, officially abandoned in 1984, and removed throughout the 1990s. Additionally, the "A" bridge spanning the Christina River was taken down in 1987.
Remnants
A majority of the right-of-way extending from the Shellpot Secondary to the New Castle Secondary has been converted into the Jack A. Markell Trail, which opened in 2018.
This trail splits at Delaware Street in New Castle and again near the Delaware Turnpike/I-295. Just north of this turnpike interchange, Baylor Boulevard traces part of the former railroad alignment.
The sole remaining track segment of the original NC&W route consists of a few hundred feet located between the Shellpot Secondary and the Northeast Corridor, forming part of what is known as the West Wilmington Industrial Track.