Is resurrected passenger rail in downstate DE in the offing? (Wilmington: how much, home)

[Boothwynman]

Delaware's last regular downstate pax train was this one which ended in 1965...

https://www.capegazette.com/article/...-months/253560

Now there is talk of returning passenger rail to the downstate...

https://www.wboc.com/news/delaware-e...d1bac24d3.html

https://www.wrde.com/news/early-phas...8ebc7d715.html

[skeddy]

in terms of ridership I don't see it today as any more sustainable than it was in 1965.

[nuts2uiam]

I think, just opinion here, that it could be successful IF it were to come down to the beaches, but the stop is in Dover which is a 40 minute trip from Rehoboth. There is limited transportation directly here, and I can't see many wanting to transfer from a train to a bus to sit in traffic, especially in the summer. BUT I have been wrong before.

[NYC refugee]

I would love rail service going north. It seems any form of public transit should be considered, considering the climate and fossil fuels, etc. But how much better it would be to train up north to shop and not have to drive, pay tolls, try to park. And Nuts is right about transit to the beach and how about Easton? In Easton, there's a bus to the airport, but it's a long long drive to Easton. The time is right. I hope it happens.

[rdlr]

I'm the No-Sayer. I don't think it's going to happen....especially with all the "conserving energy" thing going on. It was fun, a few years ago, when we boarded the train in midstate DE which took us to the Delaware State Fair (also once known as the "Harrington Fair", "Kent-Sussex Fair", and now the "Delaware State Fair")

[kyle19125]

Delaware has a connectivity issue with other states (outside of service in/out of Wilmington and Newark on SEPTA or Amtrak) when comparing to services offered in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As a state in the same region the drop-off in transit accessibility is substantial. A state-funded rail system that extends from Wilmington south to Georgetown seems most logical with intermediate stops in Middletown, Smyrna, Dover and Milford. Local jurisdictions could hopefully provide connecting bus service to the beach communities out of Milford for example, as well as Dover services to/from the state capitol and state government facilities.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

.....A state-funded rail system that extends from Wilmington south to Georgetown seems most logical with intermediate stops in Middletown, Smyrna, Dover and Milford....

Good idea. If the service connected to Dover Air Force Base, Federal money could be supplied.

Would there be interest in a regular bus system between Wilmington and the University of Delaware in Newark? It would need to connect to a campus bus system. Perhaps there would be a couple of intermediate stops. It could serve students wanting to go home on weekends.

[Jessica2956]

such is the case.

[wanderer34]

A rail service downstate is very possible, however I'm not sure if the state of DE nor the private interests that are interested in such a venture are actually putting forth the effort in creating such a service. A rail service between Philadelphia and Dover via Wilmington would definitely work, especially with growth in downstate DE. There would be the following stations along this route N to S:

- Philadelphia (30th St)
- Chester
- Wilmington
- Collins Park
- New Castle
- Rt. 13 - 40
- Bear
- Kirkwood
- Mt. Pleasant
- Middletown
- Townsend
- Clayton - Smyrna
- Cheswold
- North Dover
- Dover
- South Dover

If that were to happen, you'd see ridership increase since there seems to be a trend of getting people out of their cars into mass transit. If it can work for FL with the Brightline and Tri Rail, it can work for DE!!!

[NYC refugee]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

A rail service downstate is very possible, however I'm not sure if the state of DE nor the private interests that are interested in such a venture are actually putting forth the effort in creating such a service. A rail service between Philadelphia and Dover via Wilmington would definitely work, especially with growth in downstate DE. There would be the following stations along this route N to S:

- Philadelphia (30th St)
- Chester
- Wilmington
- Collins Park
- New Castle
- Rt. 13 - 40
- Bear
- Kirkwood
- Mt. Pleasant
- Middletown
- Townsend
- Clayton - Smyrna
- Cheswold
- North Dover
- Dover
- South Dover

If that were to happen, you'd see ridership increase since there seems to be a trend of getting people out of their cars into mass transit. If it can work for FL with the Brightline and Tri Rail, it can work for DE!!!

There are actually towns south of Dover and the end point could be Salisbury.