Hawaiian Railway Society facts for kids
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Ex US Navy #302, a 45 tonner Whitcomb locomotive, at Kahe Point.
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Ewa Villages, Hawaii |
| Locale | Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA |
| Dates of operation | 1982–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Other | |
| Website | http://www.hawaiianrailway.com/ |
The Hawaiian Railway Society is a special place in Ewa, Hawaii, USA, on the island of Oahu. It's a railroad museum and a heritage railroad that uses old train tracks. These tracks are 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge, which means they are narrower than standard tracks. The Society uses the old trackbed of the Oahu Railway and Land Company. It is currently the only working railroad museum in the state of Hawaii.
Contents
How the Hawaiian Railway Society Started
In 1970, a company called Waialua Agricultural Co. planned to get rid of an old train engine, No. 6. It was rusty and unsafe for kids playing on it. A man named John Knaus wanted to save it. He talked to Bill Paty, the manager of the company, about keeping and fixing the locomotive.
John then contacted Captain Henry Davies, who worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot. This depot had the only place left on Oahu where trains could be fixed. John got permission to move No. 6 there for restoration. He also talked to Nick Carter, another train enthusiast, who wanted to save the Navy's main train line for a working railroad.
Forming the Society
On August 22, 1970, John Knaus, Nick Carter, Luman Wilcox, and Ken Peale met. They wanted to create a local group for train lovers. Luman Wilcox helped write the first rules for the group. A few days later, on August 27, 15 people met at a restaurant. They decided to form a local chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
Thirteen of the fifteen people joined right away. They elected Luman Wilcox as president, Ken Peale as vice president, Nick Carter as secretary-treasurer, and John Knaus as national director. On October 9, 1970, the members approved the rules.
Saving Locomotive No. 6
On February 17, 1971, the old No. 6 train engine was moved to Lualualei. Students from Waialua Elementary School waved goodbye to the old locomotive as it left. No. 6 attracted many talented people who wanted to help fix it. A boiler maker, a welder, and a machinist, along with others, joined the effort.
On October 13, 1971, the State of Hawaii officially recognized the Hawaii Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. However, the name was long and didn't really say much about local trains. So, on December 19, 1973, the members voted to change the name to the Hawaiian Railway Society. They still kept their connection to the National Railway Historical Society.
Restoring the Tracks
On November 25, 1972, after 84 Sundays of hard work, No. 6 was fully restored. A special ceremony celebrated its return. This educational, non-profit organization also managed to get the remaining train tracks on Oahu listed as historic places. These tracks run from Ewa to Nanakuli. As of early 2009, the Society had restored about 6.5 miles of track. They continue to work on restoring more.
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The Hawaiian Railway Society often uses open-air cars for its rides. These cars were built on old US Army flatcars. They also have a special Parlor/Observation car for private trips. The Society also has a unique Merci train boxcar. This was one of 49 boxcars given to the U.S. by the French railways. One boxcar went to each of the 48 states. The one at the Hawaiian Railway represents Washington, D.C., and the former territory of Hawaii.
Working Locomotives
The Hawaiian Railway Society has four old diesel engines that are now working again. Three are used for rides, and one is used for moving cars around the yard. The U.S. Navy on Oahu gave three of these diesels, and the U.S. Army gave one in the 1970s.
Here are the diesel engines that are currently running:
- #423, an old USNX Whitcomb 45-Ton switcher.
- #302, an old USNX Whitcomb 45-Ton switcher.
- #174, an old USNX Whitcomb 65-Ton switcher.
- #7750, an old US Army GE 25-Ton switcher.
Steam Locomotives
The Society also has several historic steam locomotives:
- #85, from the Oahu Railway and Land Company (OR&LC), an American Locomotive Company (ALCO) 4-6-0 engine. This is the last remaining Hawaiian road engine.
- #12, from OR&LC, an ALCO 0-6-0 engine with a slopeback tender. This is the last remaining Hawaiian switching engine.
- #6, from OR&LC (named Kauila), a Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-4-2T engine. This was the first locomotive bought by the OR&L.
- #6, from Waialua Agricultural Company, an 0-6-2T engine. This is the only locomotive built in the state of Hawaii.
- #1, from Ewa Plantation Company, a Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-4-2T engine.
Other Interesting Equipment
The Hawaiian Railway Society also has other unique pieces of equipment:
- Speeder (Pop car) #233809, which came from the LK&P.
- Railcar, Inspection (MOW) #62-00249, an old U.S. Navy car made by Kalamazoo Manufacturing Company.
- A Hand car, which came from the old OR&L.
- A Spray car (MOW), used for maintenance, from the old OR&L Pacific Chemical & Fertilizer Co. Honolulu.
Mining Locomotives
- Two 2 ft (610 mm) electric mining locomotives, used in the Red Hill operations, have been cleaned up and look like new. They also have one of their old dump cars.
See Also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
