| Delaware River and Lancaster Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Pennsylvania |
| Dates of operation | 1890 (1892?)–1893 |
| Successor | abandoned |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
The Delaware River and Lancaster Railroad, known locally as the Sowbelly Railroad, was a short-lived rail line rail line along French Creek between Kimberton and St. Peters.
The railroad was originally chartered on March 24, 1868, to run from a railroad bridge crossing the Delaware River at Point Pleasant, New Jersey to Lancaster, Pennsylvania[1], as part of a more or less direct route between New York City and Lancaster[2]. However, the company was unable to raise funds for construction and the charter languished for some time.
Control of the company eventually came into the hands of Davis Knauer, a successful local entrepreneur in northern Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1890[2] or 1892[1], he laid track over a short portion of the route, between a connection with the Pickering Valley Railroad (a Reading subsidiary) near Kimberton, at a point called French Creek Junction, to St. Peters, where it connected with the Warwick Branch of the Wilmington and Northern Railroad[3]. The line largely followed French Creek north of Kimberton, passing through Wilsons Corner, Sheeder, Pughtown, Coventryville, and Knauertown before reaching St. Peters, where it connected with the Wilmington and Northern in a switchback via the spur serving Knauer's black granite quarries[4].
The line was very lightly graded and built, and its undulations gave rise to the local sobriquet of "Sowbelly Railroad". Knauer intended it as another outlet for black granite from his quarries, and to attract residents of Phoenixville to make outings to his hotel in St. Peters[2]. However, it was operated by the Wilmington and Northern, using a leased Reading engine[1]. Traffic was low, and the railroad proved unsuccessful: service ended on December 1, 1893[1]. The rails remained in place for about a year, but service was never restored. The company was dissolved in 1895 and the rails removed[1] to be sold to John T. Dyer, a railroad contractor and quarryman.
Stations:[5]
| Name | Length | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| mi | km | ||
| French Creek Junction | 0.0 | 0.0 | Connection with Pickering Valley Branch |
| Hiestand | 0.5 | 0.8 | |
| Wilson's Corner (Lockart's) | 3.7 | 6.0 | Water tank and siding |
| Vincent | ? | ? | |
| Sheeder | 5.1 | 8.2 | |
| Boraef | 5.8 | 9.3 | |
| Roberts | ? | ? | |
| Pughtown | 7.5 | 12.1 | |
| Coventryville | ? | ? | Sidings to graphite mines, Chrisman's gristmill |
| Knauertown | 10.8 | 17.4 | |
| French Creek Falls | 11.7 | 18.8 | |
| Saint Peter's | ? | ? | Connection with Warwick Branch |