Steam & Excursion > Wilmington and Western Suspends all Operations

Trains Magazine reports Wilmington and Western in Delaware has suspended all operations indefinitely effective Monday Feb 24. They had run doodlebug specials this past weekend. No explanation was given.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/wilmington-western-railway-operations-indefinitely-paused/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIppnhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbhwsu_AComNxuQySmaN0tODNMqIHnI9S4X5ACS1cKTGl0tXGmJdWieykQ_aem_3hU1V0TwPnUIFV217jMc8w

Posted from Android

Oh no! I wonder what's going on....I have very fond memories of the W&W when I lived in Delaware.

You have to wonder is it because of money?  What about the track condition?  The steam engines need to be rebuilt?  Insurance?  Yes, I have ridden the line several times, it's a nice pleasant ride through some local scenery but like all of these operations, it takes a lot of money to keep them running, thus they have to draw a lot of paying passengers as to the best of my knowledge, they have no freight customers that I can remember.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

One of the best tourist railroads I've ever visited, ridden, and photographed. 
I hope this all gets straightened out - it would be a travesty if not, for all railfans,
and the state of Delaware, and the "surrounding 47 states".  Great locomotives,
better people, and historic line.  Keeping tabs...

/Mitch

It's been a VERY tough go for a LOT of museums across the board, including operating railroad heritage museums etc. I just saw a museum today that was selling excess property in order to stay afloat. How long will that last till that gets buried through? There seems to be no magic wand for a sustainability plan, and once you think you have one in place, more hurdles are thrown to throw things off course and create challenges. 

To fund museum operations, it takes more than just admissions and special events. It requires grants and other creative thinking. Weather is always going to hamper operations - even with indoor and outdoor facilities.

I am on the Board of a museum where we dealt with rain from Aug 2023 to May 2024, and then a heat wave in June 2024. This CRUSHED us! This killed our funding and we had to suspend operations for three weeks over summer. Historic District/Village closed and all workers furloughed. Thankfully the fall weather brought out people by the droves and we also got donations in during the closure that helped. That wasn't the purpose - to feel sorry for us and send a donation. It helped, but number one priority was "stop the bleeding." Donations helped and cultivated love from the community on our historic assets. Memberships, donors, facility rentals, etc. are all big.

Retail used to be a big area of revenue "contribution" to overhead museum operations (e.g. curatorial, library, capital funding), but that's been on decline since 2016 post Amazon and post-COVID. Many museum/souvenir gift shops can't make it. BUT food and beverage - HUGE hit!!! We decreased our museum gift shop real estate and expanded our food and beverage space to increase revenue. Retail was brought from a break-even to cash drain  into a profit maker once again.

Even the great Strasburg Railroad needs ever flowing money. Great operation. Great opportunities they've created for visitors for revenue. Kudos for its operations from museum and financial level. But they had to do a renaissance of sorts in the 2000s, as I recall, to get there themselves rejuvenated. They need operating funds (to run daily trains with crews PLUS insurance) and then on top of that - capital funds to maintain the fleet of equipment. Its tough and its tight with money. And for most museums (in the north) - they are dormant in Q1 - so there's just a constant cash burn.

Even with volunteers it could be upwards of $250K+++ to just open the doors to get on the grounds (e.g, utilities, visitor services, insurance, G&A). It's a daunting to task to keep museums in the 2020s operating, operating well, and then to be financial stable. Been there done that.

I wish them ALL THE VERY BEST and I hope they can get through this somehow. 

I believe my first visit to the line was in 1967!
jb

Damn, I had been trying to arrange a trip there with friends, but it was always difficult finding a good weekend.  Last time I rode the W&W was in the 1990's. 

I wonder if the new Woodstown Central passenger operation has been causing them problems. The WC is definitly in the W&W's back yard and would constitute a "new thing" for folks who might have already done the W&W one or more times. 

Hopefully this was not due to some sort of injury or incident.  We've ridden many times over the years, and it's always been enjoyable.

-Sean

I really hope that they can get things resolved.  I have taken my family there a couple of times and we have ridden behind #98 and #58 over the years.  We always enjoyed ourselves and the operation seemed like it was well run!

Ron

i was wondering if was insurance...

I thought all these operations are making money hand over fist from Santa Claus/Polar Express trains.  That has been the gift that keeps on giving for lots of these previously running-on-a-shoestring operations.  I am surprised to hear some may still be struggling, even with the Santa Claus trains.

Polar express want a lot of money to use their term, which i think american railways owns?

Almost all tourist lines now call their Santa Season trains something other than Polar Express so they don't have to pay the outlandish royalty to use that name. I work very part time on the New Hope RR and our first year when the movie came out ( 1995? ) we paid the ransom and used the Polar Express name. When the dust settled we realized that the Royalty owners made more money than we did and we did all the work. From year 2 on we're run the Santa's Steam Specials and the North Pole Express and carried just as many passengers while keeping all the revenue. 

   Why anyone continues to pay the ransom is a mystery.

    IMHO-Ross Rowland 

I like many others here have very fond memories of the W&W.  Growing up, my grandparents lived nearby so I would often visit them and the railroad as a kid (including an old scan here of 98).  More recently, I rode with my dad and daughters to celebrate Father's Day (pic of us here by 58).  Anyway, they posted the following on FB but left some questions unanswered about the specifics:

"Dear Friends and Supporters of the Wilmington & Western Railroad,For over 60 years, our organization has proudly shared the rich history of the Red Clay Valley and the legacy of the railroad with you. Our volunteers and staff have dedicated their time and energy to preserving and interpreting the cultural, natural, and railroad heritage of northern Delaware for the enjoyment of the public. We're incredibly grateful for your support and enthusiasm throughout this journey.As our historic trains continue to age, the time has come for us to take a proactive step in ensuring their long-term viability. We’ve made the decision to pause our operations for the 2025 season to conduct important maintenance and repairs to our beloved equipment. While our historic trains have stood the test of time, it’s crucial that we focus on restoring and maintaining them for the future.While we do not have an exact date for when we’ll resume our excursions, rest assured that we are working hard to ensure the railroad is stronger than ever. Your ongoing support means the world to us as we take these important steps toward preserving the Wilmington & Western Railroad’s legacy for generations to come.We look forward to welcoming you back aboard soon and appreciate your understanding and patience during this time of necessary restoration.Thank you for being a part of our journey.With gratitude,The Wilmington & Western Railroad"

Steve Gass
Linden, VA
B-LineRailfan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/25 20:40 by B-LineRailfan.

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dcoursey Wrote:
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> Oh no! I wonder what's going on....I have very
> fond memories of the W&W when I lived in Delaware.

If what I'm hearing from usually reliable sources is true, the shutdown originated with three letters ... F.R.A.

Posted from Android

bioyans Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> dcoursey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Oh no! I wonder what's going on....I have very
> > fond memories of the W&W when I lived in
> Delaware.
>
> If what I'm hearing from usually reliable sources
> is true, the shutdown originated with three
> letters ... F.R.A.
>
> Posted from Android

Their website says they suspended the 2025 season to do important maintenance and repairs. The FRA angle sure sounds plausible.