New Castle and Wilmington Railroad

New Castle and Wilmington Railroad
Overview
LocaleDelaware
Dates of operation1852–1877 (purchased by Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad)
SuccessorPhiladelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
Technical
Length5 miles

The New Castle and Wilmington Railroad (NC&W) was an American railroad that operated in Delaware from 1852 to 1877. It was chartered in 1839 to bridge the gap between the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) and the PW&B-owned New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad (NC&F). The 5 miles (8.0 km) long line opened in 1852 and was immediately leased by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B).

On May 15, 1877, the PW&B was absorbed by the PW&B, and later sold to the Delaware Railroad.

The right-of-way laid down by the NC&W line was mostly converted into the Jack A. Markell Trail but a few hundred feet are still in use and short sections near I-95 and I-295 have been taken for highway use.