West Chester Railroad

The West Chester Railroad is a privately owned and operated tourist railroad that runs between Market Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in Chester County, and the village of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County.

West Chester Railroad
LocaleChester/Delaware counties, Pennsylvania, USA
TerminusWest Chester, Pennsylvania
Commercial operations
Built byWest Chester & Philadelphia Railroad
Original gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Reporting markWCRL
Length7.7 mi (12.4 km)[1]
Preserved gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
OpenedNovember 1858
1858West Chester & Philadelphia Railroad begins
ClosedSeptember 1986
Preservation history
1997West Chester Railroad began operating
HeadquartersWest Chester, Pennsylvania
Website
westchesterrr.net
West Chester Railroad
Route map

 West Chester
 West Chester University
 Oakbourne
 Westtown
 Cheyney
 Locksley
 Glen Mills

It operates on 7.7 miles (12.4 km)[1] of former Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) track on the West Chester Branch between mile post 27.5 and 20.6. It is owned by the for-profit 4 States Railway Service, Inc. and operated by the West Chester Railroad Heritage Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the railroad. All employees of the railroad are volunteers.[2]

History

Equipment roster
Number Model Built Manufacturer Acquired Notes Picture
4230 ALCO C424 1965 Montreal Locomotive Works 2005 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Painted in PRR livery in 2007.
1803 MLW RS-18 1960 Montreal Locomotive Works 1998 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Repainted on acquisition to PRR colors.
4213 ALCO C424 1965 Montreal Locomotive Works 2010 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
6499 EMD GP9 1957 1997 Built for B&O and owned by the Central Ohio Railroad until 1997. Painted in PRR livery in 1998 and operated as #99 by WCRR until being repainted and renumbered with its original number.
7706 EMD GP38 1969 2012 Built for the Penn Central Railroad. Acquired by Conrail in 1976; later operated by Exelon Corporation in the Cromby Generating Station in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Donated to WCRR in 2012.
3 ALCO S-2 1949 2012 Originally numbered 9115, renumbered by Rohm & Haas as #3. Bought and restored by the Wilmington and Western Railroad after suffering freezing damage. Traded to WCRR in exchange for an EMD SW600 unit.
1 1940s Plymouth Locomotive Works A 20-ton switcher operated in the Glen Mills quarry. Converted to diesel from its original gasoline power. Repainted in a yellow WCRR paint scheme and put on display at the Market Street station.
642 SP&S Class N-7 1941 Operated by Conrail as #21642. Restored and repainted in bright red with yellow lettering.
: Out of service

The railroad also operates former Reading Company EMUs #9107, 9109, 9114, 9117 and 9124, built by Harlan and Hollingsworth in 1931-32. These were used by SEPTA until 1990. The cars have had their motors and pantographs removed, and are operated for various uses by WCRR. Several other cars are used for quarters and storage.

See also

References
  1. "West Chester Railroad - West Chester, PA". www.westchesterrr.net.
  2. "West Chester Railroad - West Chester, PA". www.westchesterrr.net.
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