THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
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JUNE 20, 2002 MEETING NOTES

    The meeting was called to order by President Phil Snyder, Secretary Dan Frederick read the minutes which were approved as corrected. The Treasurer's report was accepted as read by Ralph Stevens. National Director Tom Posatko did not have a report.

    Phil Snyder reported on the Chapter Outing to the B&O Museum and the Chapter Picnic at Perryville. He reminded those present of the Chapter Trolley Trip on August 4. Dan Frederick reported that the Railfan website shows that AMTRAK locomotives are for sale. Richard Hall reported that the Wilmington & Western is now selling Kiamasi Bottles Spring Water.

    We also heard the very sad news of the passing of long time Chapter Members Bill Barnes and Hugh Gibb.
    Tom Gears shared paste-up mosaics of 1917 insurance maps of railroads in Wilmington and Newark, DE. Some of the 21 members and guests provided prints and photo albums as part of this Do-It-Yourself evening. David Haring had his home built "steam" engine (running on compressed air). After refreshments we saw vintage slides from Richard Hall's collection including very early Wilmington & Western including #92 before its restoration, the PA RR Museum in the early stages of construction, and Yorklyn Station arriving at Greenbank! Greg Ajamian showed slides of the Middletown & Hummlestown, Harrisburg, and The Rockville Limited from the National Director's Meeting. Mike Burkhart shared slides of Pennsylvania Short Lines and industrials. Dan Frederick brought slides of an early Conrail Business Train in Allentown and Frank Ferguson showed slides of the Maryland & Delaware and the Reading & Northern. All-in-all it turned out to be an truly excellent program and a great time was had by all.

William J. Barnes, Jr.
    Long time Chapter Member William J. Barnes, Jr. died at home on Tuesday, June 4, 2002. Born in Philadelphia, and former resident of Hockessin, DE, he had been living in Chester County, PA. since 2000.

    In April 1996, he used the Chapter's invitation to the PRR 150th celebration in Harrisburg and reported at the next meeting. He also authored a series of articles entitled "Railroad Whimsy" for the newsletter (5/95, 9/94, & 11-12/95).

    A graduate of Drexel University and engineer for DuPont, he was also an Army veteran, having served in World War II and retiring as a major.  He is survived by his wife Frances, sons William III, Richard, and Douglas, 3 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.  Contributions may be made in his memory to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, P.O.Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929

Hugh Gibb, NRHS National Historian
From: Lynn Burshtin, Office Manager, "National Railway Historical Society" <info@nrhs.com>
NRHS National Historian Hugh R. Gibb passed away on Monday, June 3rd. Past NRHS national officer Lew Pardee, told us that Hugh had been in a nursing home in Saint Petersburg, FL while recovering from a hospitalization, and suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 83 years old. In addition to Hugh's service to the NRHS as Historian since 1965, he also was at the National level:Secretary 1938-39,1941-42 and 1943-45; Treasurer 1947-1957; and Bulletin Editor in 1943. He also served as Secretary and Trustee for the Library of American Transportation, which was later renamed the NRHS Library. Hugh joined NRHS in 1936, and held his membership through Philadelphia Chapter. Hugh's wife, Grace, passed away in Dec. 2000. He is survived by two daughters, Margo & Victoria, and a family friend, Mrs. Donna Bossi. Donations to a charity of your choice can be made in Hugh's memory.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE B&O RAILROAD MUSEUM
http://www.borail.org
Baltimore, MD 21223 - - 410/752-2393

Portraits of American Railroading in the 19th Century, Now through July 2003. Celebrate 175 years of American Railroading, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has come to the B&O! A special exhibition of portraits and images of America's railroad barons. The exhibition will feature artwork and artifacts from our own extensive collection.

Thomas the Tank Engine, June 22-30, 2002.  Ride behind the beloved Thomas - a real steam engine. Sir Topham Hatt will also be on hand too. Kids can play games, watch Thomas videos, enjoy story-telling, face-painting and many other hands-on activities.

150th Anniversary of Western Maryland Railway, July 13 - 14, 2002. Celebrate the landmark anniversary of one of the region's most historic and best loved railroads, The Western Maryland. Historic locomotives and rolling stock from this railroad will run special rides throughout the day.

I've Been Working on the Railroad, August 17-18, 2002.  Learn about the people who built and operated the railroad. Many diverse people contributed an array of talents in order to create the railroad's infrastructure and operation. Hear the stories of shop-workers, firemen, time-keepers, engineers, maintenance crews, and a host of others through tours, lectures, living history demonstrations and interpretive programs.

All Aboard Days: Re-Inventing The Wheel, September 21-22, 2002.  What does the future of rail transport hold? Learn about cutting-edge technology, high-speed lines, and the future of transport by rail. Special displays, exhibits, and train rides.

Fall Foliage Excursion, October 19, 2002.  Ride the rails to historic Frederick, Maryland (location and date subject to change). Enjoy the day shopping, dining, site seeing, or joining in the harvest festivities. Run in conjunction with MARC Train Service and CSX.

Inner Harbor Train Show, Nov. 2, 2002.  Attention model train hobbyists! Come to the B&O Roundhouse to buy or trade a wide variety of gauges and types of model trains and accessories.

Holiday Traditions at the B&O Railroad Museum, Nov. 29 - December 30, 2002.  Festivities include spectacular model train layouts and holiday gardens along with singers and musicians on selected days and a special visit with Santa on November 29th. [closed Dec. 24, 25, 31, and January 1].

Locomotion January, 25-26, 2003.  Discover how things move. Get the lowdown on real horsepower, steam, diesel and electric rail transport. Talks, demonstrations and exhibits throughout the weekend.

Ambassadors of Service, Feb. 8, 2003.  Step aboard a classic dining and sleeper car and hear retired African-American porters, waiters, and chefs recount their experiences and stories about working on the railroad. You can ask your own questions during the question-and-answer period that follows.

50 Years on Track, Feb. 27-March 2, 2003.  The B&O Railroad Museum celebrates 50 years of preserving and presenting the wonders of American Railroading. Find out about B&O firsts and celebrate a landmark anniversary of our world-class collection - the oldest and most comprehensive in the Western Hemisphere.

Women at Work on the Railroad, March 15, 2003.  Discover interesting tidbits of history and hear what it was like to be a woman working for and riding on the rails yesterday and today. Learn about women's roles as railroad workers and passengers from the early 19th century to present day.

International Railroad Preservation Symposium, March 19 - 22, 2003.  This conference will be open to the public by subscription and will take place in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore. Details TBA. Hosted by The B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21223

The Fair of the Iron Horse 175, June 27 - July 6, 2003. Celebrate 175 years of American Railroad history at the birthplace of American railroading! The 10-day extravaganza features historic locomotives and pavilions of model trains and railroad history and technology. A daily parade of historic locomotives from all over America and the world tells the saga of American railroading from the beginning to present day. Live entertainment, food, family activities and much more.

WILMINGTON CHAPTER NRHS STREETCAR TRIPS

August 4, 2002  -  Red Arrow D-39 Work Car Trip
Join us as we ride over both the Media and Sharon Hill lines of SEPTA's Red Arrow Division. Our car will be Kawasaki No.100 (the first Kawasaki delivered for Red Arrow service). We will be joined by Tower Car D-39, the oldest electric car on SEPTA's roster. Numerous photo stops will be held to photograph both cars along the way. Trip departs Upper Darby at 1:00 p.m. Fare $35.00

November 2, 2002  -  Night Photo PCC Trip
We will take one of SEPTA's historic PCC's for a night tour of the southwest Philadelphia streetcar routes, stopping for open flash photography along the way. You bring atripod and cable release (along with your camera) and we'll provide the flash. Trip departs Elmwood Car Barn (near I-95) at 5:00 p.m. Fare $35.00

January 25, 2003  -  Super Saturday Streetcar Special X
A Wilmington Chapter tradition! Join us for our 10th pre-Super Bowl trip on Saturday, January 25th. Details aren't finalized yet, but we are planning to either cover the north end of Route 23 (departing from Germantown) with a PCC or doing a PCC/Peter Witt two-car trip in southwest Philadelphia (if the Peter Witt is available). Fare $35.00

Order tickets on-line here: http://www.daylightimages.com/streetcar/
Option 1: Red Arrow D-39 Work Car Trip only -- $35
Option 2: Night Photo PCC Trip only -- $35
Option 3: Super Saturday Streetcar Special only -- $35
Option 4: Red Arrow Trip and Night Trip Combo -- $60 (save $10)
Option 5: Red Arrow Trip and Super Saturday Trip Combo -- $60 (save $10)
Option 6: Night Trip and Super Saturday Trip Combo -- $60 (save $10)
Option 7: All three trips -- $85 (save $20)

Rather pay by check? Make checks payable to Wilmington Chapter NRHS and mail your order to:
Wilmington Chapter NRHS
c/o Steve Barry
117 High Street
Newton, NJ 07860

SCHEDULE NOTES
Notices, announcements, schedules, etc. are provided here as a service to the members. The Chapter has no affiliation with any commercial operation, museum, or tourist line.

Now through July 2003 Portraits of American Railroading in the 19th Century B&O Railroad Museum.

Saturday & Sunday, July 13-14, 2002 150th Anniversary of Western Maryland Railway at B&O Museum, Baltimore 10 AM - 5 PM, ride behind WM F-7A #236, special exhibits of WM artifacts

Saturday, July 20, 2002 11th annual Rail to the Fair (in Harrington, DE) To order tickets for this year's event, call (800) 652-DART or (302) 652-DART

Sunday, August 4, 2002 Red Arrow D-39 Work Car Trip

Saturday & Sunday, August 17-18, 2002 I've Been Working on the Railroad B&O Railroad Museum

Saturday & Sunday, August 17-18, 2002 Great Scale Model Train Show - Gettsyburg, Gettsyburg, PA [NOT Maryland !] check their web-site http://www.GSMTS.com for info

Saturday & Sunday, August 24-25, 2002 Blue Mountain Express 8 AM-6 PM, Hagerstown, MD (to Pen Mar)to New Oxford, PA, Diesel+MARC equip. $15or$38, 301-739-4665

August 18 - 26, 2002 2002 NRHS Convention
Williams, Arizona (near Grand Canyon) with inbound and outbound steam powered trains planned from Los Angeles. Host Chapter(s) - Grand Canyon Chapter   Web Site is www.canyonrails2002.com

Sept. 13-22, 2002 Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car at Strasburg Railroad, Strasburg, Pa.

Saturday & Sunday, October 12-13, 2002 Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, 9-4 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD.

October 19, 2002 Fall Foliage Excursion B&O Railroad Museum

Saturday, November 2, 2002 Night Photo PCC Trip

November 2, 2002 Inner Harbor Train Show B&O Railroad Museum

November 29 - December 30, 2002 Holiday Traditions at B&O Railroad Museum B&O Railroad Museum

Dec. 5-8, 2002 Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car at Strasburg Railroad, Strasburg, Pa.

==================================================================

Saturday, January 25, 2003 Super Saturday Streetcar Special X

January 25-26, 2003 Locomotion B&O Railroad Museum

February 8, 2003 Ambassadors of Service B&O Railroad Museum

February 27 - March 2, 2003 50 Years on Track B&O Railroad Museum

March 15, 2003 Women at Work on the Railroad B&O Railroad Museum

March 19 - 22, 2003 International Railroad Preservation Symposium B&O Railroad Museum

June 27 - July 6, 2003 The Fair of the Iron Horse 175 B&O Railroad Museum

July 1-6, 2003 2003 NRHS Convention - STAR SPANGLED RAILS
The National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) and the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc. (R&LHS) will hold a joint convention, named Star Spangled Rails, in Baltimore, Maryland July 1 - 6, 2003. Hosted by the Washington, DC Chapter of the NRHS and the R&LHS, the convention will offer exciting mainline excursion trains, other informative, fun rail oriented trips, educational seminars and the annual banquet. There will also be non-rail excursions to see the history and culture of Maryland.
Star Spangled Rails will coincide with the 175th Anniversary of Railroading in the United States and will occur at the height of the B&O Railroad Museum's America on Track Celebration. The highlight of the Museum's celebration will be a recreation of the 1927 "Fair of the Iron Horse". The fair will include special exhibits at the museum and Baltimore's Carroll Park. Railroad equipment of all kinds and vintages will be on display, something special no one will want to miss. Besides all of the exciting public events of the Fair, special private events for Star Spangled Rails attendees only are being planned in conjunction with the museum. For more information, check the official convention website at www.starspangledrails.org. Pre-registration will open in August 2002 for members of both NRHS and the R&LHS.

NEWS BITS

    HARRINGTON, Delaware - "All aboard! Next stop - the Delaware State Fair." The 11th annual Rail to the Fair, sponsored by the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Delaware Transit Corporation, will be held on Saturday, July 20. The state fair kicks off on July 18. Rail to the Fair is a service that gives First Staters a chance to take a scenic, back-country train ride to Harrington and Frankford.
    "This is the most fun type of service that we have to offer," said Ray Miller, director of the Delaware Transit Corp. "Wherever you live throughout the state, you can take advantage of this great trip." The air-conditioned Amtrak train will begin its journey at 9:15 a.m. at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It will travel along Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor and make stops at Claymont, Wilmington, Churchmans Crossing and Newark. At Newark, the train will head onto Norfolk Southern's Delmarva Secondary to continue the trip south, making additional stops at Middletown and Dover. The Rail to the Fair will arrive at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington at 12:28 p.m., where passengers have the choice for a five-hour stay at the fair or the continued ride to Frankford. Passengers opting to travel to Frankford will enjoy a three-hour round-trip from Harrington to Frankford. After arriving back in Harrington, passengers will still be able to spend about two hours at the fair. Frankford is not a station stop, so there will be no boarding or alighting of passengers there. This year, the Rail to the Fair train includes a cafŽ car where passengers may purchase food or drinks, if they choose not to bring their own. Rail to the Fair is designed to be a family oriented experience, with a relaxing and educational train ride, along with the fun of the Delaware State Fair. Depending upon location, ticket prices range from $17.50 to $47.50 for adults heading to the fair, or $22.50 to $67.50 for adults taking the extended "rare mileage" trip to Frankford. All tickets are round-trip and include general admission to the fair. Reduced fares are available for children under 10. Last year more than 400 passengers participated in the trip. To order tickets for this year's event, call (800) 652-DART or (302) 652-DART. [From: Steve vonBonin, NARP Director, Region III (Delaware) e-mail: Trains4de@aol.com]

    The 1.2-acre site of the old station site at Eighth and Young streets in historic New Castle, DE is getting new life as city park as New Castle spruces up the Shawtown area. Passenger service ended in the early 1950s, and freight service was halted on that line in the early 1990s. The last of the track was ripped out last year. The property is owned by Delaware Transit Corp. and the city needs them to grant New Castle the right to convert it into a park with landscaping and benches. Beautification work already has begun with about 150 truckloads of fill dirt placed onto the property last week and spread around. Seeding should take place next week. Developing the property into a park should cost about $10,000. Eventually, the city would like to see the park become part of a greenway that includes a nearby abandoned rail line running to the marshes near Wilmington's waterfront. David Campbell, program support manager for the Delaware Transit Corp., said the agreement with the city will run indefinitely, with the provision that rights to the property will revert to the state if it ever decides to restore rail service there. Campbell said the old branch line in the Shawtown neighborhood used to be called the New Castle Industrial Track, because it served nearby industries. The state bought the property in 1991 for possible future use as a passenger rail line. A few hundred yards of rails were removed last year to make the property more attractive. [From an article by EDWARD L. KENNEY, Wilmington News Journal Staff reporter, 06/08/2002 ]

    N E W S R E L E A S E COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Commonwealth News Bureau - Room 308, Main Capitol - Harrisburg, PA 17120 - KINZUA BRIDGE CLOSES TO TRAIN TRAFFIC, STATE PARK TO REMAIN OPEN HARRISBURG (June 27) -- As a result of a recent structural study on the Kinzua Bridge in McKean County, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) today announced it has closed the viaduct to train traffic. However, Kinzua Bridge State Park will remain open to all visitors, and pedestrians are welcome to continue to walk across the 120-year-old bridge.
"The safety of the train passengers visiting Kinzua Bridge State Park is a great concern," State Parks Bureau Director Roger Fickes said. "While closing the viaduct may be an inconvenience for rail riders, the park will stay open, and visitors can enjoy the bridge's spectacular views."
Structural engineers have concluded that the bridge's pylons are not safe enough to support the weight of the tourist excursion train that crosses the 2,053-foot-long viaduct.
    While the structure is not safe enough to support trains, Fickes said there is no danger of a collapse, and pedestrian traffic will remain open barring partial closings to accommodate further inspections. The inspection will continue to take place on weekdays until the entire bridge has been checked.
The closure to rail traffic will affect the Knox, Kane and Kinzua railroad. This rail line has been providing sightseeing tours throughout the region and over the bridge since 1987.
    The Kinzua Bridge was completed in 1882. At the time, it was the highest railroad bridge in the world at 301 feet from the center of the valley. The structure was rebuilt in 1900 to handle heavier trains; it went unused from 1959 to 1987.
The state park around the bridge officially opened in 1970. In 1977, the Kinzua Viaduct received national recognition when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.
For more information on Kinzua Bridge and Pennsylvania's other 115 state parks, visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "state parks."

    July 2, 2002 - Canadian Pacific Railway And Norfolk Southern - Streamline Operations In Northeast U.S. CALGARY, AB and NORFOLK, VA -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and Canadian Pacific Railway (NYSE/TSE: CP) today announced that CPR has granted Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) trackage rights between Sunbury, Pennsylvania and Mechanicville, New York. The granting of trackage rights is part of a continuing joint effort by both companies to improve freight service to upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and New England.
    "This agreement is part of our mission to build strong strategic partnerships with North American railways that deliver value to customers and shareholders alike," said Fred Green, CPR's Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales. "The agreement is in line with CPR's strategy to maximize the value of its network in the Northeastern U.S. by creating additional traffic density on our Delaware & Hudson (D&H) lines, which will aid in improving the financial performance of the D&H substantially."
"This agreement further improves our competitive routes between New England and the Midwest and Southeast," said Jim McClellan, Norfolk Southern's senior vice president Strategic Planning. "We also gain a new, direct and efficient route between central New York state and points south."
    To accommodate the increase in traffic, a new passing siding will be constructed on CPR's D&H line at Clarks Summit, Pa. CPR, NS and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will jointly fund the $2 million project. Additionally, the new agreement modifies existing trackage and haulage agreements.
    The agreement expands on the successful partnership between NS and CPR in the Northeast. In 1998, NS and CPR completed a $12 million upgrade of the Sunbury Line between Sunbury and Scranton. In 2001, CPR and NS introduced a new intermodal service between the Port of New York/New Jersey, Montreal and Toronto.
Canadian Pacific Railway is North America's first transcontinental railway, and is the only transcontinental carrier with direct service to the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. CPR's 14,000-mile network serves the principal centres of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, as well as the U.S. Midwest and Northeast regions, and links North America with Europe and the Pacific Rim. Alliances with other carriers extend CPR's market reach beyond its own network in the U.S., and into the major business centres of Mexico. For more information, visit CPR's website at www.cpr.ca. Norfolk Southern Corporation is a Virginia-based holding company with headquarters in Norfolk. It owns a major freight railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway Company, which operates approximately 21,500 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario. For more information, visit Norfolk Southern's website at www.nscorp.com.

    Paradise Township has sued the Red Caboose Motel near Strasburg alleging owners have failed to maintain their on-lot, buried sewage treatment system. The lawsuit, filed in Lancaster County Court, says the ongoing discharge violates both a township ordinance and state law. Raw sewage was found on the lawn of the motel opened in 1970. There have been several changes in ownership since then. It has 47 cabeese .
    The Red Caboose motel, restaurant, and gift shop was shut down by the state Department of Environmental Protection 12 days ago for not correcting a nitrate problem in drinking water.The owners hoped to reopen by the end of the week. DEP got a Commonwealth Court judge to order the closing after the agency said the owners ignored for several years DEP's requests to have a nitrate-treatment system installed to protect the public. The agency fined the company $10,000 and threatened to jail the owners if they don't clean up the water. The two owners were fined $500 each for sewer violations about six months ago. [from an article en titled "Twp. suing Red Caboose for leaks of raw sewage",Tuesday, June 25, By Ad Crable - New Era (Lancaster Newspaper) Staff Writer from http://www.lancasteronline.com/newera_news/redcaboo.shtm]

    ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. -- The 130 years old East Broad Top Railroad that carried timber, coal and people across 33 miles of mostly rural, sometimes rugged, southern Huntingdon County countryside may be on the verge of financial collapse. On weekends, East Broad Top steam locomotives still pull coaches of sightseers five miles up the green Aughwick Valley. But, by most accounts, it won't be long before the only trace of the railroad will be in history books. The real thing is perilously close to vanishing, observers say. In an assessment of the East Broad Top, Smithsonian Institution rail expert William Withuhn declared, "Nowhere in North America does such a complete and original historic site exist."
    A few years ago, there was optimism that public money would save the transportation heirloom from the ravages of age. Now, by most accounts, optimism has faded into a death watch. "It's within a year or two of physical collapse," said Jerry Fisher, whose bid this year to put the railroad in a mix of public and private hands was rebuffed by the EBT's owner. " State funds to buy and start repairing the railroad -- $1 million in allocated state money and an application for another $1 million -- have been pulled off the table.
    The EBT, deemed a national historic landmark 38 years ago, is on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of most endangered sites. It can't afford to fix buildings or buy advertising that could bring a threefold increase in its 12,000-person-a-year ridership. In 1956, Indiana, Pa., scrap dealer Joe Kovalchick's father, Czechoslovakian immigrant Nick Kovalchick, bought the failed EBT, planning to make scrap of its narrow-gauge tracks -- rails 36 inches apart instead of the standard 56 inches. "There's no question that the Kovalchick family is responsible for the fact that the railroad continues to exist," said Henry Inman, president of the 900-member Friends of the East Broad Top (www.febt.org), a group of EBT fans. The railroad's thin income carried one blessing: There was no money to fix up or tear down the old rail shops. Neglect preserved the works just as they were, from belt-driven grinders to wrenches big as a baseball bat. They all reside in grime-laden shops in a 300-yard-long complex -- from a brick roundhouse to an assembly of rust-red wooden buildings, some with chicken-wire-covered windows, many with a distinct lean. "There are parts of railroads that offer similar insight into the work of railroading and operations of railroads in the past. The thing about the East Broad Top is that it exists in its entirety," Inman said. The article went on to detail some of the financial proposals and (lack of) counter-proposals to get government funding and take over from the family which says it can't afford to keep it running.
    For now, the weekend trains continue to pull out from the EBT station, a two-story building painted signature cream, green and brown, modest but tidy, like the rest of this 414-population town. The office manager talks about the cut-price anniversary day coming in August and fall-foliage train rides in October. [From an article entitled "Historic East Broad Top Railroad chugs toward financial collapse", Sunday, June 30, 2002, by Tom Gibb, (Pittsburgh) Post-Gazette Staff Writer from
http://www.post-gazette.com/localnews/20020630ebt4.asp via Ed Thornton]

This copyrighted article was written for the "Transfer Table", the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society by Chapter Member Richard E. Hall (c) Richard E. Hall 2002

The PW&B's Three Susquehanna River Boats; More Questions Than Answers By Richard E. Hall

    There have been many articles written about the PW&B using a steam powered ferry boat to move their railroad cars across the wide Susquehanna River at Perryville. That operation is also credited with being the first use of a ferry boat for railroad cars. The railroad was satisfied with the service provided with the car ferry and at that time they did not have the skill or technology to build a bridge of that size. The ferry boat was also cheaper to build. History tells us that the PW&B had used only two boats on the Susquehanna River at Perryville, the "Susquehanna" and it's replacement, the "Maryland". But as so often happens with history, that does not seem to be the whole story.

    When the Wilmington & Susquehanna Rail Road reached Perryville and the Baltimore & Port Deposit Rail Road reached Havre de Grace in 1837, the wide Susquehanna River separated them. A bridge would have been desirable, but there were several reasons for them not building one at that time. First and foremost, the original B&PD charter prohibited building a bridge and neither railroad had the funds or the authorization to build a bridge. There was little chance that the authorization to build a bridge could have been obtained at that time anyway. The town of Port Deposit was still an important river and canal port and the shipping interests' insistence that navigation on the Susquehanna River remain unobstructed did not go unheeded in Annapolis.

    The Baltimore & Port Deposit Rail Road was to have built following a small stream called Rock Run down to the Susquehanna River on the Harford County side. There are small streams called Rock Run on both sides of the river, almost directly opposite each other. After they had merged, the Wilmington & Susquehanna had revised the original Delaware & Maryland Railroad plan to build to Charlestown and was to connect with the B&PD at Port Deposit. They were to enter Port Deposit by means of an inclined plane, but the exact location is not clear. It most probably would have been down through Rock Run Hollow. A track was to be placed on the existing bridge at Rock Run and the railroad cars were to be pulled across the bridge by horses. The B&PD charter stated that steam locomotives were to be prohibited from running across the wooden bridge. Plans changed and the B&PD built to Havre de Grace and the W&S built to Perryville, which they called Cecil at that time.

    Passengers and freight would have to be transferred between the two railroads for them to prosper, but it was necessary to transport them across the river. Using a boat was the obvious answer and was no problem where the passengers were concerned. But transferring the freight from railroad cars to the boat on one side of the river, then back to rail cars on the other side was slow and labor intensive, very impractical. The answer was to build a new type of boat that could carry the passengers and also the baggage and freight cars. An order for such a boat was placed in 1836, before the two railroads were completed, but they were to share the cost of building it.

    The railroads were hard pressed for cash and had a problem raising the $4,500 needed to buy the steam driven engine to power the ferry boat. They had ask Gillingham & Winan, the Baltimore shipyard building the ferry, for an extended payment plan before the boat was finished. The steam powered, stern wheel, 453 ton wooden ferry boat was named the "Susquehanna" was placed in service in 1837. It is considered to have been the first railroad car ferry to be placed in service. Although the car ferry was used between Perryville and Havre de Grace, Baltimore was registered as it's home port.

    It carried freight and baggage cars on a track on the upper deck. It did not carry the passenger cars. Passengers left their train at "Cecil" (Perryville) and boarded the ferry where they were carried in a large cabin. There was a dinning room provided so the passengers could eat while crossing the river, saving some time. They boarded another train of passenger cars at Havre de Grace to continue on to Baltimore.

    The "Susquehanna" had a capacity of only five railroad cars on the single track centered between the two smoke stacks. That five car capacity soon proved to be inadequate. It was rebuilt and lengthened in 1846 at a cost of $16,200.00, but details of that rebuilding have not been found. Another question not answered is, how was the passenger and freight service maintained when the "Susquehanna" had to be taken out of service for inspection and repairs and the rebuilding? By the early 1850's, the "Susquehanna" was considered to be too small and too slow, a new car ferry was ordered for service on the Susquehanna River. The "Susquehanna" was taken out of service after the new car ferry was received.

    The new iron hull ferry was built in Wilmington and named the "Maryland". It was placed in service in December 1854. The 1,150 ton ferry was 238 feet long, had three tracks with a capacity of 21 cars on one deck, and had cost $110,000.00 to build. Unlike the "Susquehanna", the "Maryland" was registered with Havre de Grace as it's home port. The PW&B had received the necessary authorization to built a bridge across the Susquehanna River before the ferry was placed in service, and some preliminary work was being done. The railroad management was so pleased with the operation of the new car ferry that all work relating to building the railroad bridge was suspended. Work on the railroad bridge was not resumed until after the Civil War, and then only because of the mounting volume of complaints from shippers. Complaints about the time lost by using the ferry forced the railroad finally forced the railroad to build the first bridge across the Susquehanna River.

    The ferry "Maryland" was sold to the New York, New Haven & Hartford for use in New York cross harbor car ferry service. It later caught fire and the wooden superstructure burned in 1889. Although not properly documented, there are indications that the old iron hull of the "Maryland" was salvaged and used to build another railroad car ferry for the NYNH&H's New York harbor rail service. The replacement car ferry built in Wilmington in 1890 retained the name "Maryland". The second "Maryland" was 238 feet long, 38 feet wide and having one deck less superstructure and fittings, was only 859 gross tons. The second car ferry "Maryland" was converted to a dredge in 1913.

    History makes little mention of the fact that the PW&B purchased a "towboat" when they started some work on the piers in the Susquehanna River in 1853. There is no name or description given for the towboat, or if it was new or used, only that it was to transport men and materials for working on the piers in the river. The towboat is not mentioned when the work on the bridge piers was suspended. Years later, the PW&B reported maintenance expenses for a "tug boat", then reported a financial loss on the sale of the auxiliary ferry "Fulton" in 1869.

    There is also mention of the sale of the steamers "George Washington" and "Pioneer". "Fulton", "George Washington" and "Pioneer" ; all names of boats that were not previously known as being associated with the PW&B. We have found eleven documented steamships registered with the name "George Washington", but this seems to have been the 137 foot one weighing 278 tons that had been built in Philadelphia in 1830 and registered with Baltimore as it's home port. It had been rebuilt three times, two of them involved lengthening the hull, first to 165.4 feet, weight 343 tons, then 181 feet, weight 378 tons. We eventually learn that the steamers "George Washington" and "Pioneer" had been registered to the New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad which was by then owned by the PW&B.
Very little information has been found for the steamship "Pioneer" at this time. The built date, and size are not known, but it apparently was built prior to 1844 and changed ownership several times. Sometime during the 1850's it was sold to the PW&B or NC&F, but apparently was registered as NC&F, but documentation of such NC&F registration lacking. The PRR is also mentioned as possibly acquiring it during the 1850's, but that is before the PRR acquired the PW&B, so that is questionable. Nothing has been found after it was sold in 1861 and 1868. The NC&F reportedly had two more steamboats, the "Carroll Of Carrollton" and the "Ohio". Nothing at all is known about those two or any other boats that the NC&F may have had. It is implied, but not specifically stated, that there had been other boats that were owned by the NC&F.

    That still leaves the auxiliary ferry "Fulton", about which we now have a some tentative information, but also more questions. We find nine documented steamships registered with the name "Fulton", and only two of them are listed as being ferry boats. There was a 184 ton ferry named "Fulton" that had been built in New York in 1838 and was registered with New York as it's home port. There is no additional information available to me at this time. The second ferry named "Fulton" was built in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1852, weight 410 tons and was registered with New York as it's home port. There is very likely some history and disposition information for these two ferries available in documents that are known to exist, but I can no longer get to where they are available. I have found that paying for research is expensive and more often than not, the results are far from being satisfactory.

    This is conjecture, not documented, but it is very possible that the New York ferry "Fulton" built in 1838 was replaced by the larger ferry built in 1852. That date would make the older one available for sale at the time the PW&B bought what they referred to as a "towboat". The open deck space on the ferry boat would make it well suited for transporting material to the work sites in the river. It would have had enough power to have served as a towboat for small barges, which would also put it in the tug boat category for the railroad's description. Describing the "Fulton" as an auxiliary ferry might explain why the maps show that the PW&B maintained two ferry slips on both sides of the river long after the larger "Maryland" had replaced the old "Susquehanna". That designation as auxiliary ferry also raises more questions.

    We have long wondered how the PW&B was able to maintain service across the Susquehanna River when the car ferry had to be taken out of service for inspections and repairs. We have also wondered how the vital wartime traffic was maintained while the "Maryland" was performing service for the Navy during the Civil War. Did the smaller "Fulton" cover some of the duties of the larger steamer "Maryland"? It is known that iron ore for the Whitaker Brothers operation at Principio Furnace was shipped by rail from Magnolia to Havre de Grace and apparently transferred to barges. Although it is not very likely, did the PW&B perform any towing operations on the Susquehanna River and Furnace Bay that we do not know about?

    It is not much, especially with more questions being asked than can be answered, but this is one small effort made toward filling in some of the missing history of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad's operations on the Susquehanna River in the mid 1800's. (c) 2000 R.E. Hall

WILMINGTON CHAPTER NRHS - DO-IT-YOURSELF PAY-AS-YOU-GO CHAPTER TRIP
August 15, 2002

[ in lieu of the normal Chapter Meeting ]

6:01 PM LV Marcus Hook on Septa R2 #4664
6:35 PM ARR 30th Street Station

6:49 PM LV 30th & Market Streets on Market-Frankford Line
7:02 PM ARR 69th Street Terminal

7:10 PM LV 69th Street Terminal on Market-Frankford Line
7:22 PM ARR 30th & Market Streets

7:29 PM LV 30th & Market Streets on Route 11 Trolley
7:38 PM ARR 49th St and Woodland Ave.

7:50 PM LV 49th St on Septa R3 #390
7:57 PM ARR 30th Street Station

8:37 PM LV 30th Street Station on Septa R2 #4273
9:10 PM ARR Marcus Hook, PA

Disclaimers/Notes
0. The only time which is definite is the 6:01 out of Marcus Hook.

1. While a schedule has been listed, we do not guarantee any of the times will be met. We may adjust our schedule depending on time, delays, or weather conditions.

2. Seniors must show Medicare card to receive discounts.

3. You will be responsible for purchasing your own tickets.

CHAPTER EVENTS  

Thursday July 18, 2002 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Richard Hall "Derailments & Other Mishaps"

Thursday August 15, 2002 7 PM Chapter Trip Circle Trip to 69th St. Terminal instead of normal monthly meeting

Thursday Sept. 19, 2002 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by David Haring "Report from RailCamp¨ 2002"

Thursday Oct. 18, 2002 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Frank Ferguson "Cuban Adventure - Part 2"

Thursday Nov. 21, 2002 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Phil Snyder "Cross Country Adventure - Part 1"

Sunday Dec. 8?, 2002 5 PM Holiday Dinner program by Steve Barry Instead of normal monthly meeting.

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except August & December] in the Darley Room at the Claymont Community Center on Green Street in Claymont, Delaware.      Visitors are always welcome. Admission to regular meetings is free. Check out our Website, thanks to Russ Fox at:   http://www.WilmingtonNRHS.com

The Transfer Table
   The Transfer Table is published six to ten times per year as the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.  Items in this publication do not represent the official position of either Officers or Members of the Wilmington Chapter or the Editor of this publication.

    Permission to reprint articles and news items appearing herein is granted to NRHS Chapters and other newsletters provided appropriate credit is given.   Contributions are always welcome and should be sent to the editor at SD40GMA@aol.com or send to: P.O. Box 1136, Hockessin, DE 19707-5136. Deadline for entries is the 25th of the month.

    Chapter Officers
    President   Phil Snyder
    Vice President & Historian  Ron Cleaves
    Treasurer   Ralph Stevens, Jr.
    Secretary   Dan Frederick
    National Director   Tom Posatko
    Editor  Greg Ajamian
    Public Relations    Frank Ferguson, Jr.
    Event Photographer  Bruce Barry

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