Delaware’s Wilmington & Western Railroad was gearing up to reopen in late October after spending much of the year doing locomotive and track maintenance. 

In February, the railroad announced it was taking a “proactive step” by shutting down operations to focus on equipment repairs. Sources close to the railroad told Railfan & Railroad at the time that a major concern was the reliability of its locomotives. Last year, some holiday excursions had to be canceled due to a shortage of available motive power. In a recent interview with local media, board member Mark North said that one locomotive needed wheel work and that the rail line needed about 2,500 new ties, which were installed over the summer. 

Uncertainty about the railroad’s future has swirled since April, when three employees were laid off. Railroad volunteers have alleged that the railroad is being poorly managed by the current board of directors, and they have been voicing those concerns on a Facebook page called “Concerned Volunteers of the WWRR.” This week, the page reported that a number of volunteer leaders, including the road foreman, assistant trainmaster, and manager of training and operating practices, had been dismissed.

The W&W was established in 1966 to operate excursions on 10 miles of former Baltimore & Ohio trackage between Greenbank and Hockessin, Del. 

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on October 16 to note the recent termination of volunteer leaders. 

—Justin Franz