Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Volume 84, Valuation Reports

Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The property of the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway Company, herein after called the carrier, consists of both railway and steamer lines. The railway is steam operated, standard gauge, and single track throughout. The main line extends a distance of 72.959 miles across the States of Delaware and Maryland and terminates at Lewes, Del., on the eastern end and at Love Point, Md., on the western end. At the latter place the railway connects with the carrier's steamer lines. A branch line, 5.385 miles long, extends from a junction with the main line at Queenstown, Md., to Centreville, Md. The carrier owns yard tracks and sidetracks aggregating 10.258 miles. Its railroad thus embraces 78.344 miles of main track and 88.602 miles of all tracks. The carrier reaches Rehoboth, Del., from Lewes, Del., by operating over the line of The Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad Company, a subsidiary of the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad Company.

The steamer lines are operated between Baltimore, Md., and numerous other places generally situated either on Chesapeake Bay or its tributary rivers, the Chester, the Patuxent, the Potomac, and the Rappahannock. These boat lines reach points located in the States of Maryland and Virginia and the District of Columbia. The carrier owns all of its floating equipment and the larger part of the wharves, docks, and other property at its various landings. The remainder of such fixed property is almost entirely owned by individuals or noncarrier companies. Where the carrier's use is exclusive, the cost of reproduction new and cost of reproduction less depreciation of the property are included in this report as property used but not owned. Where the carrier's use is not exclusive, nothing has been included to represent the reproduction costs of such property. The principal cities reached by the steamer lines are Baltimore, Md., Fredericksburg, Va., Norfolk, Va., and Washington, D. C.

Jointly Used Property

With the exception of the certain jointly owned minor facilities, referred to in stating the cost of reproduction new and cost of reproduction less depreciation, the carrier owns no property jointly with other common carriers. In Appendix 2, under the caption “Leased Railway Property,” will be found a statement showing the property jointly used with other companies, but not jointly owned, and the terms of the use.

Economic Conditions Relating to Traffic

The industries of the region served by the carrier's railroad consist of farming, fishing, and oyster dredging, the first mentioned being by far the most important. The principal agricultural products are potatoes and other vegetables.

Corporate History

The carrier was incorporated on January 30, 1905, in the States of Maryland and Delaware, for the purpose of consolidating the properties of the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company of Delaware, and the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company. Its principal office is at Wilmington, Del. The two predecessor companies named had been previously incorporated on January 28, 1905, for the purpose of acquiring the properties of the Queen Anne's Railroad Company, The Weems Steamboat Company and the Chester River Steamboat Company, and had a paper existence for two days prior to their consolidation to form the carrier.

Physical Characteristics of Road

The grades in each direction are light. The amount and usual degree of curvature are not large. The grading averages about 9,000 cubic yards of excavation per mile of road. The material is all common; there is no rock, either loose or solid. The not infrequent swamps are usually crossed by means of low embankments. The majority of the waterways are spanned with wooden trestles. The predominating rail weights, in both main track and yard and side tracks, are 56 pounds and 60 pounds per lineal yard. All rail is of Bessemer steel. The buildings are all of frame construction.

The amount of wharf and dock property is considerable. Such property is located at many and scattered points.

The carrier owns no telegraph or telephone property, but uses the telegraph and telephone lines of the Maryland and Delaware Telephone and Telegraph Company. None of such property is included in this report, but is all included in a separate report made upon the owning company. The majority of the capital stock of the telegraph company is owned by the carrier.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage was acquired by consolidation on January 30, 1905, from the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company of Delaware and the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company as follows:

Rail line, constructed by the Queen Anne's Railroad Company and opened for operation in sections during the period from 1898 to April 14, 1902, of which the portion located in Delaware, approximately 32 miles, had, on January 28, 1905, been purchased by the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company of Delaware and the portion located in Maryland, approximately 46 miles, had on the same day been purchased by the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company:

Main line, Love Point, Md., to Lewes, Del. 72.959

Centreville branch, Queenstown to Centreville, Md. 5.385

Total. 78.344

Steamer lines, which had on January 28, 1905, been purchased by the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railroad Company partly from the Weems Steamboat Company and partly from the Chester River Steamboat Company:

Ferry line, Baltimore to Love Point, Md.

Rappahannock River Line—

Baltimore, Md. to Fredericksburg, Va.

Norfolk to Rappahannock, Va.

Potomac River Line, Baltimore, Md., to Washington, D. C.

Patuxent River Line, Baltimore to Lyon Creek, Md.

Chester River Line, Baltimore to Crompton, Md.

In addition to the above the carrier operates, under trackage agreement, over the tracks of the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad Company, from Lewes to Rehoboth, Del., 5.19 miles, and uses the passenger and freight stations of that company at Lewes, Del.

Leased Railway Property

The carrier does not lease from or to other common carriers, property for its or their exclusive use. It uses under agreement the tracks of The Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad Company from Lewes to Rehoboth. Del., a distance of 5.19 miles, and the joint passenger station and facilities at Lewes, Del. The carrier uses the tracks to Rehoboth for passenger-train service during the summer months and pays therefore 1.25 cents per passenger per mile. For use of the depots it pays a portion of expenditures by the operating company for maintenance and operation based on the number of tickets sold by each company.

The carrier enjoys as rights in public domain the use of Pier 8, Light Street, Baltimore, Md., at an annual rental of $3,510, under a 50-year lease from the mayor and council of Baltimore, Md., and also the use of the Seventh Street wharf and pier at Washington, D. C., leased by the commissioners of the District of Columbia to J. P. Stephenson and sublet to the carrier from April 1, 1912, to July 30, 1917, at an annual rental of $1,800.