Delaware Railroad’s Key Role in Economic Opportunity

Since its first tracks were laid in the 1850s, the Delaware railroad has played a key role in accelerating economic opportunity in Delaware and increasing connectivity in the state and the Mid-Atlantic region. Delaware has extensive freight rail service throughout the Delmarva Peninsula, providing key linkages with not only the entire Northeast corridor, but also worldwide through Port Wilmington. Additionally, both high-speed and local passenger rail continue to serve northern Delaware, meaning residents can be in Philadelphia in a half hour and New York City or Washington, D.C. in just over an hour and a half. 

Gunpowder & Peaches 

Delaware’s reputation as an industrial hub and a major agricultural producer is very closely tied to the development of the railroad in the state. In northern Delaware, Wilmington’s location on the main rail line between New York and Washington, D.C. ushered in an era of industry and manufacturing in the 19th century with tanneries, carriage factories, textile mills, snuff mills, gunpowder mills, and more dotting the landscape. The legacy of these industry pioneers continues today, including at Eleutherian Mills, a gunpowder mill which grew into the DuPont company and is now part of the historic Hagley Museum and Library. 

In central and southern Delaware, expanded rail linkage propelled the agricultural industry and economic prosperity in the state. By 1875, Delaware was recognized as the first state from which peaches were a commercial crop, with over five million baskets of peaches transported annually. As agricultural output increased, towns began to pop up along the rail lines including many named after railroad executives and political supporters such as Felton, Harrington, and Clayton, DE. The railroad continues to transport agricultural products as well as construction materials from the Delmarva Peninsula, servicing major agricultural companies including Hanover Foods, Perdue Farms, and Mountaire Farms. 

While the Delaware railroad changed hands multiple times during the 20th century, since 2016 Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) has been the primary short-line operator in central and southern Delaware. In northern Delaware, DCR connects to tracks operated by Norfolk Southern, linking the entire state via rail to the Northeast Corridor, one of the largest markets in the United States. Additionally, the railroad services Port Wilmington, a full-service deepwater port in a Foreign Trade Zone. 

The Delaware Railroad Connects Talent & Industry 

While freight rail has certainly shaped the landscape of economic development in Delaware, the existence of multiple passenger rail options has also positively impacted transportation accessibility and Delaware’s connectivity with the region. In northern Delaware, Amtrak stations in Newark and Wilmington connect to the entire coast as well as inland, with high-speed rail to Miami, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Chicago, and more without the need to change trains. With an average of 65 Amtrak trains daily in 2022, Delaware remains highly connected and accessible to the surrounding region. 

Locally, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) also provides service to four transit stops in Delaware with an average of 18 trains daily during the work week in 2023. The Wilmington-Newark line ties Newark, Churchmans Crossing, Wilmington, and Claymont directly to Philadelphia as a low-cost commuter option quicker than driving, signifying the shared labor pool in the region and cross-border commuter patterns.  

Passenger rail service was terminated in central and southern Delaware by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1957. However, efforts to revive the downstate passenger rail connections continue especially as the population continues to grow in these areas. In 2023, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced plans to study the impacts of two no-build routes through the Delmarva Peninsula, ending in either Salisbury, MD or Berlin, MD. Results of the impact study are expected in 2025 at the latest. 

The railroad has been a cornerstone of Delaware’s development, weaving together the state’s industrial prowess and agricultural prosperity with its modern economic landscape. Rail infrastructure has not only enhanced Delaware’s connectivity within the Mid-Atlantic region but has also established critical links to national and international markets. This network has supported significant industrial and agricultural activities as well as connected a diverse and expansive labor pool. Going forward, the railroad will continue to be a vital artery for commerce, connectivity, and community development