Wilmington and Western's July 4th Fireworks Special, featuring steam locomotive W&W #58.

An ongoing tradition in the Red Clay Valley in Northern Delaware is the Wilmington and Western Railroad's special train to the fireworks display on the 4th of July in Hockessen, DE. This allows the passengers to avoid the mess of trying to park in Hockessen before and after the fireworks. This year (2024), Wilmington and Western #58, "the Veteran's Locomotive", headed up the train to the fireworks, allowing for some unique photos and video of the fireworks and the steam locomotive! #58 is a 0-6-0 switcher locomotive, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1907 for the Atlanta, Birmingham, and Atlantic Railway.
In the video, we see the train depart from Greenbank Station, with a full train bound for the fireworks, including 3 cabooses! The locomotive puts on quite a show pulling the train but had a break line issue going into Hockessen, and called in Wilmington and Western 8408, (an 1940 SW-1) for support. Together, the two engines got the train into Hockessen in time for the fireworks.