The Eastern Shore Railroad

The Eastern Shore Railroad. . In 1882, A.J. Cassatt laid out a new railroad between Pokomoke, MD, and Cape Charles. Construction began April, 1884, the last spike was driven on October 25, 1884., A.J. Cassatt enhanced the dredging of Cape Charles harbor and designed huge steel car floats capable of carrying eighteen freight cars, and tugboats with engines powerful enough to make the trip between Cape Charles and Port Norfolk in three hours., On March 12, 1885, tug Norfolk, towing car float number one, arrived in Norfolk carrying twelve cars., The railroad purchased property near Little Creek in 1926 and built a new rail-water terminal. Completed in 1929, it reduced the ferry route by ten miles., In addition to local trains, two express passenger trains operated between Cape Charles and New York City. The Delmarva Express, a day train carried a dining car and coaches, the Cavalier, an overnight train, carried sleeping cars to New York and Philadelphia., On January 12, 1958, the last passenger train made its run., The railroad presently consists of seventy miles of main track and a twenty-six mile car float operation from Cape Charles to Little Creek. , Written by Arthur Tross, (captions) , Cape Charles Interpretive Exhibits , Courtesy of Cape Charles Historical Society , Courtesy of Hagley Museum and Library