Brandywine Springs Historic Express

One of the most historically significant locations along our tracks is Brandywine Springs Park, which was the site of a hotel and amusement park in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Brandywine Springs featured a fun house, pony rides, dance hall, lake, bandstand and an early wooden roller coaster. Many people came to the park on trains operated by the Wilmington & Western.

The amusements closed in 1923 and today Brandywine Springs is a New Castle County park - only a few stone foundations remain of the park's amusements. The Friends of Brandywine Springs perform monthly archaeological digs in the park to uncover this unique piece of Wilmington's history, and tell the stories that this site holds.

On this special history-focused excursion, you'll have the opportunity to explore the park with a Friends of Brandywine Springs guide who will point out the locations of the former amusements, and paint a picture of Brandywine Springs in its heyday.

On the outbound trip from Greenbank Station, our train will stop for the Brandywine Springs walking tour, which will take approximately 1½-hours. Once back aboard, the train will continue outbound to the Mt. Cuba Picnic Grove, and then return inbound to Greenbank Station (this train will not layover at the picnic grove). Allow 2½ hours for the train ride and walking tour. Passengers are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.

This event is powered by our 1929 Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug railcar.

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