Saturday, May 18, 2019

Seaford, Delaware Musings

Last month I did a write-up on the history of the Cambridge Secondary Track at its endpoint - Seaford, DE (remember - the actual construction of the railroad started at Cambridge, MD & headed towards Seaford). I want to share some aerial photos of Seaford as they relate to the Cambridge Secondary.

Seaford, DE looking southwest in 1926, Dallin Aerial Survey Company collection.

The above photo is from the Dallin Aerial Survey Company in 1926. We're looking, roughly, southwest. The former "Delaware Road" line (Porter, DE to Delmar, DE) runs from the bottom, center, to the top, left. The Cambridge Secondary starts, just below the Nanticoke River bridge, & runs from left to right in the photo, on its way to Cambridge, MD.

Nanticoke River Bridge, Seaford, DE in March 1970, by Lloyd Teitsworth, Miss Dee Andrews collection.

The second photo is from March 1970, of the Nanticoke River movable bridge by Lloyd Teitsworth, Miss Dee Andrews collection. The Cambridge Secondary begins at the top right, just below the overpass & running behind the freight station (the white building with the wooden platform). You can trace the Secondary from right to left because it's the one track in the photo without any freight cars on it.

Seaford, DE in the late 1960's or early 1970's by Walter Thurston.

The third shot focuses on the Nanticoke River bridge, but from a different angle. You can see the Cambridge Secondary making its way towards the DuPont nylon plant and then it makes a sharp turn from left to right & goes off towards Cambridge, MD towards the top center of the photo.

Seaford, DE from Porter Street to the station in 1954, Jim Bowden collection.

The fourth shot is of Seaford, DE in 1954, with Porter Street (on the bottom left, in front of Perdue's  5 grain silos), from the Jim Bowden collection. The Cambridge Secondary runs from the top left & curves, going straight off the bottom center of the photo. Again, it's the track without any freight cars on it.

Seaford, DE from Porter Street to Hall Street in 1954, Jim Bowden collection.

The fifth & final study of Seaford is a continuation of the railroad from the photo, above, in 1954, except this is now between Porter Street & Hall Street (Hall doesn't cross the railroad today).

Not that much historical write-up, but it does show a lot of aerial photos of the railroad in Seaford, DE.