"Delaware Electric Traction" interurban?

Has anyone come across this scheme?

http://www.scsuntimes.com/SunArchives/0 ... 00ago.html

http://www.scsuntimes.com/SunArchives/1 ... 00ago.html

I've had private correspondence saying that they wanted to build Smyrna to Dover via Leipsic, and that the latter poor little town put up money it could hardly spare.

Also, the proprietors completed some line and bought cars but never established a public service.

Does anyone know where the rails were, if this is true?

The bible of Eastern Shore railroad history is John C. Hayman's "Rails Along the Chesapeake: A History of Railroading on the Delmarva Peninsula, 1827-1978," Marvadel Publishers, 1979. Inevitably, it's long out of print, but I see it regularly at the local train shows.

Hayman has this to say about your question:

"The only other electric railway project on Delmarva [besides the New Castle line and short-lived Odessa & Middletown] was only about one-quarter finished when the project fizzled out. The line was originally incorporated as the Delaware General Electric Railway in August 1899. It was to build an electric railway from Milford by way of Dover to Smyrna and Woodland Beach, about 42 miles all told. Its tracks were spiked to standard gauge [unlike the 5'2" Odessa & Middletown]. Construction was begun on February 22, 1900, but only ten miles had been completed by January 1, 1902. Subsequently, on April 7, 1902 the Delaware Electric Traction Co. was incorporated to acquire the Delaware General Electric Ry. It was able to lay only a further two miles by May 1, 1904, and had the balance under construction. As of 1906 the company owned ten cars. However, after that time we find no mention of the project in contemporary reports."

Hayman's account is pretty vague, among other things failing to mention where the completed section was and whether or not it actually operated. He used as his sources Poor's Manual for 1902, p. 863, and for 1906, p. 916. Possibly local papers of the period or state utility commission reports would shed more light.

Anyway, hope this helps a bit.

Which local shows? I've been trying to find a copy of it for awhile... The local Libary has one, But it would be nice to have my own copy...

There's a used copy available on Amazon.com for $144.

http://www.amazon.com/Rails-along-Chesa ... 824&sr=1-1

I purchased my copy used, but in very good condition, online via Abebooks about 6 months ago for ~$40-50. Very nice and a wealth of info. My town library also has a copy in their Maryland Reference Section which was my catalyst to buy one for myself.