Lewes council drops railroad display fence requirement
The Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association will not have to erect a fence around its historic exhibit in Stango Park.
Mayor and city council voted unanimously Dec. 9, to eliminate the requirement from a memorandum of understanding the organization had with the city.
Mayor Andrew Williams said he was assured by the city’s insurance company that the lack of a fence would not mean a rate increase.
David Ludlow of LJRBA said the doors of the red caboose that is currently parked on the tracks are locked, and there are signs warning people to keep off the equipment.
Council added a requirement that signs be placed around new equipment when it arrives.
“The children I know, and the child I was, didn’t always use stairs to get over or onto objects. It’s common sense,” said Councilperson Tim Ritzert.
The LJRBA expects a locomotive tender to be added to the tracks in late 2025.
A steam locomotive, which is being restored in Wilmington, will join the exhibit after that.
The LJRBA wanted the fence removed because it said it would ruin the view and spirit of the display, and create clutter in the park.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
