he Wilmington & Western is more than just a railroad — the core of our mission is to inform and educate the public about the rich history of the Red Clay Valley, and a big part of that history involves the railroad. From young to old, people are fascinated by trains and the railroad’s place in history, and it is our goal to bring that history to life through our educational initiatives.
Our 5,000 square foot Office & Education Center allows the Wilmington & Western to offer training and education classes for the general public and our volunteers. Opened in January 2013, the Office & Education Center features office and meeting rooms, exhibit space for our collection of railroad artifacts, plus crew facilities for our volunteer train and engine crews.
The building is environmentally-friendly and features LED lighting and a geo-thermal heating and cooling system. The rain garden collects water run-off, which means that no rain water from the building is directed into the Red Clay Creek.
The Office & Education Center is located at our Marshallton Yard complex, which features storage tracks for all of our historic equipment, as well as repair and restoration facilities. Our training and education classes often use our historic railroad equipment to give volunteers and the general public hands-on experience with full-size operating locomotives and cars.
Directions to the Office & Education Center
From I-95:
- Take Exit 5B Route 141 North.
- Once on Route 141, take Exit 6B Route 2 West.
- At the third light, make a left onto Newport-Gap Pike.
- At the first light, make a right onto Old Capitol Trail.
- Cross over the railroad tracks and make your first left onto School Lane.
- At the second Stop sign, make a left. The Office & Education Center is in the tan building at the end of the road.
The Office & Education Center is an administrative office only — trains do not depart from this location. Tickets cannot be purchased at this location. Tickets are only available from our Schedule & Tickets page, by calling our office during normal business hours, or in-person at Greenbank Station on operating days.
Each year, the Wilmington & Western offers a course in the history and operations of the railroad. This fascinating insider’s look also touches on aspects of the national rail transportation system and gives students a unique perspective on a modern heritage railroad.
In this course, students learn the history of the Red Clay Valley Line and its right-of-way and track maintenance programs. The historic rolling stock and motive power used on the Wilmington & Western Railroad will be reviewed with special emphasis on how steam and diesel locomotives operate and are maintained. In addition, we’ll examine state-of-the-art railroading practices including signaling and train control. Federal Railroad Administration rules, regulations and inspections required for all railroads, including the WWRR, are reviewed.
As part of the course, a Saturday afternoon visit to the WWRR Engine House is included. Students will review restoration projects, as well as be permitted to inspect the other equipment and facilities at Marshallton Yard. An opportunity to operate one of the WWRR diesel locomotives within Marshallton Yard limits under the guidance of a WWRR qualified engineer is included in the visit.
Please check back again soon for an announcement regarding the dates and times of the next Railroad 101 course.
Each summer, we are proud to offer a one-day Railroading Summer Camp, during which your child can learn what it’s like to work on the railroad. Kids are fascinated by trains and railroads, so why not give them the opportunity to learn more about them over their summer break?
Your Child Will Experience
- Hands-on demonstration of track repair techniques
- Welding demonstration
- Caboose ride behind one of our early-generation diesel locomotives
- Guided tour of our Marshallton Yard repair facility
- Up-close look at current repair and restoration projects