This abandoned railway line was built in the 1860s as first a branch line for the Pennsylvania RR, carrying goods from mills at White Clay Creek, outside of Newark, DE, to The Pomeroy Branch at Landenburg, PA (see also The Landenburg Branch). While the line had both Newark and Landenburg as common towns with the Pomeroy Branch, it took a rather circuitous routing, going as far west as Kemblesville, PA.

In 1879 the line connected to the Wilmington and Western Railroad, and was utilized as a relief route for passenger trains when the Pomeroy Branch was crowded. In 1890, traffic along the line started to decline and the decision was made to abandon the line outright and pull up the rails. However, bridges along the route were not torn down and instead left to slowly fall apart. That decision is partly what saved the right-of-way for potential future use, even today.

The close of this line caused a decrease in the traffic levels on both the Pomeroy and Landenburg Branches, ultimately deciding their fates as well.