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 Post subject: Delaware's New State Park: Auburn Valley (with a RR!)
PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 12:40 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11481
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
Those of you that know the history of the Wilmington &* Western RR know that one of its founding "angels" was Thomas C. Marshall, a gentleman whose mansion and estate was close to the W&W at Yorklyn and who operated a semi-public Stanley Steamer museum and miniature live steam railroad.

Now the State of Delaware has formally acknowledged what has been a long time in coming:

https://destateparks.blog/2018/11/09/in ... tate-park/

https://news.delaware.gov/2018/11/09/dn ... k-yorklyn/

Quote:
Governor John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin were joined by U.S. Senator Tom Carper, state legislators, New Castle County and local officials, neighbors, and friends, at the dedication and ribbon-cutting of Delaware’s newest and 17th state park, the Auburn Valley State Park in Yorklyn.
Dedication of Auburn Valley State Park

Formerly the Auburn Heights Preserve, the park features an 1897 Queen Anne Victorian mansion and the Marshall Steam Museum, home to the largest operating Stanley steam car collection in the world. This four-acre estate was donated by Tom and Ruth Marshall, whose family established and operated the National Vulcanized Fiber (NVF) factory next to the estate. Marshall donated the mansion and steam car museum to the state in 2007. Part of that agreement included establishing an endowment for property upkeep. A historic bridge in the park is now named after the Marshall family.


This gives the W&W another destination with which to formally intersect and market. And it helps to explain some of the redevelopment of the former 19th-century industrial property at Yorklyn, which is where the RR intends to install its newly acquired turntable. (Marshall's family, as I understand it, owned NVF, the vulcanized fiber company formerly in the industrial buildings and even served by the B&O before the W&W took over.)

It shall be interesting to see how this relationship develops long-term, but done right it assures a long-term future for the W&W.


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 Post subject: Re: Delaware's New State Park: Auburn Valley (with a RR!)
PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:28 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:07 am
Posts: 737
Location: Philadelphia Pa
Part of that redevelopment of the former NVF site includes a new station (I wonder if theyll move the old Greenbank, nee Kennedyville Station down from Hockessin "East", since it rarely sees use there?) and installation of the aforementioned turntable that is already sitting at Yorklyn on a flat car. It was purchased from IRM for scrap value.

As for the long term future of the W&W, while one always suggests to "never say never", Im doubtful of any potential issues for them anytime in the near or distant future. They have proven their immense value to the State 100 fold, which was evidenced during the two catastrophic floods that saw Private, Local and State funding pay for rebuilding of the line - twice. They long ago established ownership of their ROW and equipment, and have also long established very close working relationships with the local communities, other local attractions and non profits and their physical household neighbors.

The redevelopment of NVF has not been exclusive of the W&W, in fact they have worked rather closely with planning from the get-go.

If anything, many operations could take a page from the W&W's book in how to run a successful operation in a suburban community.


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