Railpace Newsmagazine

Passenger Trains Return to Salem County, New Jersey
by Andrew Grahl, Raymond Mercado and Denis Connell

Woodstown Central Railroad a subsidiary of SMS Rail Lines, hosted its inaugural sold-out passenger excursions on Saturday, November 5, 2022. At 11:00 a.m. sixteen lucky passengers boarded restored Reading caboose 92857 at the temporary boarding site along West Wilson Avenue at East Avenue (U.S. 40) in Woodstown, New Jersey, for a northbound trip to Swedesboro, milepost 12. After running around the caboose, Baldwin Sl2 304 proceeded south nonstop through Woodstown to the Mannington Mills complex in Mannington, presently the end of operable track at milepost 27 before returning to Woodstown. A second sold-out trip departed Woodstown at 1:00 p.m. over the same route.
Led by SMS Rail Lines Baldwin Sl2 304, these first revenue trips, dubbed Scenic Railroad Tour, made the 32-mile round trip from Woodstown. Much of the 15-mile-long excursion route is well-ballasted continuous welded rail. SMS has operating rights from the Swedesboro connection with the Southern Railroad of New Jersey south to the Port of Salem, a distance of 18 miles.
SMS Rail Lines recently took over the operating rights of the former the PRSL Salem Branch from the Southern Railroad of New Jersey. The line is owned by Salem County, which along with SMS, has restored the line to excellent operating condition, replete with welded rail.
Current operation of the Scenic Railroad tours has the train departing Woodstown north to Swedesboro, changing ends in the siding behind Grasso Foods, off Kings Highway before heading back south, passing through Woodstown and south to change ends again behind Mannington Mills Manufacturing north of Salem. Additional trains operate for Brew to Brew tours and other events.
Currently the line operates with the Baldwin switcher and magnificently restored 1937 Reading caboose 92857 to carry passengers. Baldwin 304 was delivered to the Monongahela Railway in 1953, and has been completely rebuilt by SMS. Paul Harland, Director of Passenger Operations for SMS , noted that coaches have been acquired from Vermont and are being prepared for tourist operations beginning in the spring of 2023.
There will be more big things to come: SMS is completing work on its steam locomotive, 0-6-0 No. 9, and Baldwin AS616 554 is also expected to move to the Woodstown Central Salem Branch.
The Woodstown Central Railroad operates from downtown Woodstown, with a convenient temporary boarding location along Wilson Avenue at East Avenue. A pop-up tent is located here for ticket information and souvenir sales.