My take: The Wilmington and Western great locomotive chase

A week ago, I checked my Facebook timeline and found a post indicating that the excursion railroad was shooting for a reopening later in the year.

The announcement came after picketing outside the railroad station by volunteers upset about the lack of communication with the board and the dismissal of nearly all full-time staff.

In late February, the board announced it was suspending the 2025 season so repairs could be made.

A group known as the Concerned Volunteers of the Wilmington & Western Railroad had earlier posted a letter on its Facebook page demanding transparency from the board of directors.

I also noticed that a post criticizing the nonprofit's board was deleted and replaced by new information that included a photo of an aging diesel switch engine under repair.

Later in the day, curiosity got the best of me, and I drove by the railroad's shop and headquarters in Marshalltown. The gate was locked, and I drove to the nearby adult high school to get a better look.

Lo and behold, the blue diesel made its way out of the shop. I tried to get a photo but could not get set up in time.  The best I could do was snap a picture of a rusting steam locomotive symbolizing the situation.

I tried to catch up with the locomotive at the Prices Corner station but could only see it from a distance. It later disappeared into the woods.

I headed home and found that Wilmington and Western's Facebook page had been deleted.

The railroad's website now noted that the board was in charge, with a roadmaster running the suspended operation.

Recently, Concerned Volunteers posted another letter lamenting the demise of the Facebook page and taking note of our coverage and stories from WDEL and national publication Trains.

The newest letter came with a softer tone than the first but demanded that the board be elected by volunteers who hold membership in the railroad under the formal name Historic Red Clay Valley.

So far, we have heard nothing from the board. That has led to speculation over what's next. One scenario is selling the excursion line. That's a stretch but the silence is  deafening.

As noted in our posts, the railroad was in solid financial shape as of 2023, with virtually no debt and more than $12 million in assets. 

The letter also noted that two volunteers were approached about pitching to restore Wilmington and Western's equipment. They refused.

And with the Saturday post taken down, it's anyone's guess when a top visitor attraction and Delaware treasure  gets back on track, if it ever does.