Lewes groups plan to highlight rail history

Lewes’ long railroad history may live on through an ambitious project that would preserve a remaining section of track near the Lewes Public Library and the now-unused canal swing bridge. 

Representatives from several Lewes-area groups have developed a preliminary plan to build a replica train station, acquire as many as three rail cars, preserve the railroad swing bridge in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and build a model train garden.

“We would like this to be a cultural gateway to the city of Lewes through imaginative works of art,” said Rich McGreal, speaking on behalf of the Lewes Junction working group.

The project is a joint effort between Lewes Historical Society, Lewes in Bloom, Art in Bloom, Fort Miles Historical Association, Historic Lewes Byway, Lewes Parks and Recreation, and Lewes Public Library.

Following the state’s decision to decommission the railroad from Cool Spring to Lewes, Lewes officials petitioned Department of Transportation officials to leave 210 feet of track in place between the library and the Rollins Community Center with hopes that a local group could find a way to commemorate the city’s railroad history.

“When council approved this, it provided a blank canvas,” said Randy Voith, a retired engineer who’s working with the group.

The plan is to bring at least three authentic train cars to Lewes, including a steam engine with its tender, a Pullman car and a caboose. Dr. Gary Wray, president of the Fort Miles Historical Association, said ideally the Pullman would be used for historical presentation telling the story of railroading in Lewes.

Wray said he’s involved with the project because the railroad played an important role in the locating of Fort Miles.

“The U.S. Army picked this place because it had a railroad,” said Wray, adding that the Army often brought in large guns and equipment via the railroad. “That railroad was the heart and soul of Fort Miles.”

Wray said they’ve already found a locomotive and caboose in Hockessin; however, they are a long way from making decisions on acquisition.

To complement the display, Art in Bloom would work with Schell Brothers to construct an enclosure around unsightly mechanical equipment beside the Lewes library. The enclosure would contain a replica of the early 20th century train station that once existed in Lewes, said Jane Ellan Golde of Art in Bloom.

On the side facing the library, Golde said, there would be three whimsical murals. Each mural would tell a story about Lewes. They would be painted by schoolchildren under the direction of a muralist.

The side facing the library’s parking lot would feature a mural representing a 1930s steam engine pulling into the train station, while the opposite side would show Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Train Station from the Harry Potter novels.

The project would also hide inverters on the outside wall of the library. There, the group plans to add 16 panels representing book covers chosen from the New York Public Library’s list of 100 children’s classics.

To further tell the story of the railroad, Voith said, he hopes to work with the state to preserve the swing bridge in the canal. DelDOT’s decision to decommission the railroad was made partly due to the estimated $3 million in repairs the bridge required for safe use. DelDOT previously said the bridge would be removed, but nothing has occurred since the announcement in July 2017.

The final piece of the puzzle would be a model train garden in the area of the rail cars and station replica. McGreal said this component is the least developed of the four. The idea, he said, is to build a 1,000- to 1,500-square-foot garden with model trains operating through a miniature landscape.

“These have become very popular,” he said. “It’s something for the whole family.”

The goal is to work on planning in 2019 and begin building the garden in 2020.

The timeline for the whole project is still up in the air. The group approached Lewes officials to ask that they continue to retain the 210-foot section of railroad near the library and discuss their plans with DelDOT officials. Most of the project would occur on state-owned land, so the decision on the project will likely fall to DelDOT.

The group wants to continue planning over the next year to refine its plan and iron out some of the details, specifically cost. They are not seeking any city funds, McGreal said.

City council offered its support for the project Jan. 14, but also raised a few concerns. Councilwoman Bonnie Osler asked the group to consider the long-term maintenance obligations for each piece of the project.

Deputy Mayor Fred Beaufait asked that the group offer a quarterly progress update, so they do not go too far down a road the city does not like.

“I don’t want Lewes to become mini-Disneyland,” Beaufait said.