Howdy,

I was doing some background research on the Wilmington & Northern Railroad (currently owned and operated by East Penn Railroad, LLC since 2004) and while looking over the line at Montchanin, Delaware, I noticed markings for a small abandoned line labeled "Rockland Branch" (see attached OpenRailwayMap screenshot).

This looks like some sort of industrial line that was served the Soda House right by the Hagley Library south of Montchanin. Does anybody know the history of this line and when it was eventually abandoned?

Thank you,

Your map tells the story. I understand there were some mills in Rockland served by the branch.

Here's one reference:

https://www.abandonedrails.com/montchanin-to-rockland

And something about Montchanin Village:

https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm9 ... n_Delaware

Phil Mulligan

The Delaware DOT has this document which shows on page 6 that the branch was abandoned on August 2, 1976:
https://deldot.gov/Publications/plans/r ... SHEETS.pdf

Facebook had some pictures on Feb 22 in this group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/227846344042098/

The NPS has info about the historical station which mentions the branch:
https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/117e ... 850e6ff836

On the ConRail formation document here:
https://prod.stb.gov/wp-content/uploads ... -Part1.pdf
page 53 (page 59 in the pdf) has some good information about the branch. In the disposition, they recommend that it not be included in ConRail:

Check out this FB group and search the posts.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/227846344042098

You can also get in touch with me. I'm local and have done some research.