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]

Equipment roster
Number Model Built Manufacturer Acquired Notes Picture
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.
3 ALCO S-2 1949 American Locomotive Company 1992 Built as C&O #5026, later served as B&O/Luntz Iron & Steel/Rohm & Haas #9115. Bought and restored as #3 by the Wilmington and Western Railroad after suffering freezing damage. Traded to WCRR in exchange for an EMD SW600 unit.
657 50' box car Ex-C&O, used for storage.
658 Flat car Used for Christmas Tree trains and work trains.
M1234 Fairmont A4-D 1978 Fairmont Railway Motors Ex-United States Army speeder.
1803 MLW RS-18U 1960 Montreal Locomotive Works 1998 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
4213 ALCO C424 1965 Montreal Locomotive Works 2010 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
4230 ALCO C424 1965 Montreal Locomotive Works 2005 Built for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
6499 EMD GP9 1957 Electro-Motive Division 1997 Built for B&O and owned by the Ohio Central 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 Electro-Motive Division 2012 Built for Penn Central. Acquired by Conrail in 1976; later operated by Exelon Corporation in the Cromby Generating Station in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Donated to WCRL in 2012.
9107 Reading Class RER "Blueliner" 1932 Harlan & Hollingsworth/Reading Company 1997 Built as Reading MU trailer #874, rebuilt and renumbered circa 1963-65; retired by SEPTA in 1990. Traction motors and pantographs removed, converted to an unpowered dining car for birthday parties and charter groups.
9109 Reading Class RER "Blueliner" 1932 Harlan & Hollingsworth/Reading Company Built as Reading MU trailer #876, rebuilt and renumbered circa 1963-65; retired by SEPTA in 1990. Traction motors and pantographs removed, converted to an unpowered coach.
9114 Reading Class RER "Blueliner" 1931 Harlan & Hollingsworth/Reading Company Built as Reading MU trailer #835, rebuilt and renumbered circa 1963-65; retired by SEPTA in 1990. Traction motors and pantographs removed, converted to an unpowered coach. Equipped with horn and backup emergency air valve for reverse moves.
9117 Reading Class RER "Blueliner" 1931 Harlan & Hollingsworth/Reading Company 1997 Built as Reading MU trailer #840, rebuilt and renumbered circa 1963-65; retired by SEPTA in 1990. Traction motors and pantographs removed, converted to an unpowered coach. Equipped with horn and backup emergency air valve for reverse moves.
9124 Reading Class RER "Blueliner" 1932 Harlan & Hollingsworth/Reading Company Built as Reading MU trailer #869, rebuilt and renumbered circa 1963-65; retired by SEPTA in 1990. Traction motors and pantographs removed, converted to an unpowered coach. Equipped with horn and backup emergency air valve for reverse moves.
9275 "Pete Small" PRR B60 Ex-Pennsylvania Railroad/Penn Central baggage car, used as a concessions/generator/tool car.
20331 NYC Class N-7 1941 New York Central bay window caboose, operated by Conrail as #21642. Originally numbered #642 and used as a ticket office at Market Street station. Restored and renumbered in 2009, it is used for work trains and storage.
28209 Dining car Budd Company 1947 2005 Ex-NYC/PC "dining room" car from twin-unit diner. Used as the yard office at Adams Street Yard.
: Out of service

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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