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by Mike & Kim Crinella of alohafriends.com |
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 t one time in Hawaii, there were over 40 privately owned sugar cane railways in
the Hawaiian Islands and now only two remain in frequent use. The
locomotives hauled regular freight of sugar cane, pineapples,
livestock, tin cans, containers and more and had scheduled passenger
trains, as well. The last common carrier railroad with a main-line
operation in the islands ran until the mid-1960s on Maui. For train
enthusiasts, the islands of Kauai, Oahu,
Maui and Hawaii have places where you can interact with some of
Hawaii's train history and maybe even take a ride on a sugar cane train.
OAHU — The Hawaiian Railway Society operates a 6-mile train ride on the original OR & L main line from
the station in Ewa Yard. The trains, which run on Sunday afternoons
between Ewa Station and Paradise Cove, are powered by two Whitcomb diesel switchers. The train
museum features exhibits of old locomotives and rail cars, a tiny gift
shop and a picnic area. The Oahu Sugar No. 7, a narrow-gauge 0-6-2T
steam engine, is also in Ewa on display at the Waipahu Cultural Garden and Plantation Village.
MAUI — The Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad,
also known as the Sugar Cane Train, operates out of Lahaina and was
build in 1970 as a tourist attraction to commemorate the Sugar Cane
Trains that served Hawaii. The 2-4-0 steam locomotives, with open-air
coaches, use a segment of track used by Pioneer Mills sugar-cane
railroad to take visitors on a 6-mile adventure along the scenic
coasting between Lahaina Town and Kaanapali. The train operates daily and offers several rides per day and a sunset dinner train ride some evenings.
HAWAII — In Hilo, the Hawaii Consolidated Railway concrete roundhouse still stands and an old station nearby has been refurbished as a museum of railroad history.
The Laupahoehoe Train Museum stands on the site of the old Laupahoehoe Train Station and showcases
photos, memorabilia and stories of when the trains were an important
part of transportation on the Big Island.
The Hamakua portion of the railway, which spanned numerous gulches and
water crossings, is known as the most expensive section of railway
built in America in its time. Much of the railway was washed away by
the 1946 tidal wave, but many of the current highway bridges on the
Hamakua Coast were built on the original railway trestle foundations.
Editor's Note: ALL links in this article were placed by the
editor and DO NOT constitute referrals by the authors, who
DO NOT assume any responsibility for same, mahalo.
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