Does anyone know whatever became of the Wawa & Concordville RR? It was a short-lived tourist line in Chester County, Pa., which operated in the late 1960's. I know they once owned ex-Pacific Lumber Co. 2-8-2T No. 37 and an 0-6-0T Vulcan No. 3, both of which later went to the Wilmington & Western in Delaware. Who started the line? What other equipment did they own? What was the line's demise? I'd appreciate any information if know. Thanks!<br>



frm@redrose.net

The Wawa & Concordville RR ran (I believe) only two years, 1967 and 1968. The W&C leased five miles of the PRR's Octoraro branch between the two towns in its name. It was based out of Concordville, Pa. They ran push-pull, the same way the W&W operates. I think they ran into some lease problems with their new landlord, the Penn Central (I could be wrong about this), and things ground to a halt. Anyway parts of line were damaged by flooding back about 1971 and the equipment was stranded at Concordville. I don't know who the principals were behind the W&C. <p>As far as other equipment beside the two steam locomotives, the W&C had several open excursion cars that came from Bethlehem Steel (they had been used for in-plant rail tours, Beth Steel had built them from former CNJ wooden boxcars). They also had 3(?) former DL&W "Boonton" coaches (you couldn't open a tourist line in the 60's without at least one Boonton car--must have been a law!!). The W&C had planned to rework former Pacific Lumber 2-8-2T #37 into a tender locomotive and had aquired a former Reading tender (I believe off a Camelback of some kind) for the project, which never took place. Former US Navy / Philadelphia Navel Yard 0-6-0T #3 was given the classic 60's tourist line "Wild West Look" with a diamond stack, box headlight, a cowcatcher pilot, and topped off with a bright blue paint job. <p>After the W&C's demise, some of the cars were scrapped. As you know various Historic Red Clay Valley / Wilmington & Western members acquired and trucked out what was left. Besides the two locomotives, one open car, one Boonton coach, and the RDG tender went to the W&W. The open car was used for a while, but is no longer in use. I'm pretty sure the Boonton coach has been restored to join W&W's other Boontons [Tom Gears, if you are reading this, correct me if I'm wrong!]. I think the tender is still at the W&W.<p>By the way, also "living and dieing" at same time was another short-lived PA tourist line located a little to the north, the Valley Forge Scenic RR running over a stub of the Reading's Pickering Valley line out of Kimberton, Pa. It was then home of Reading & Northern's 4-6-2 #425 and Wilmington & Western's 0-6-0 #58. Interestingly the locomotives from both lines wound up (for while) together on the W&W.<p>Regards, <br>Jim Robinson <br>