Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad (LKPRR)

Locale	Maui County, Hawaii
Preserved operations
Owned by	Craig Hill
Reporting mark	LK&P
Length	6 miles (9.7 km)
Preserved gauge	3 ft (914 mm)
Commercial history
Opened	1970 (1970)
Preservation history
Headquarters	Lahaina, Hawaii

The Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad (LKPRR) was a special train line in Lāhainā, Hawaii. It used old-fashioned steam engines and had a narrow track, which means the rails were closer together than on regular trains. People often called it the Sugar Cane Train.

This train offered a fun, 40-minute ride in open-air cars. The trip was about 6 miles (10 km) long and went between Lahaina and Puukolii, with a quick stop in Kaanapali. Along the way, a guide would point out interesting sights. The train even crossed a cool, curved wooden bridge that was 325 feet (99 m) long. From this bridge, you could see amazing views of nearby islands and the West Maui Mountains. Right now, the train is not running, and all its equipment is stored north of Lahaina.

History of the Sugar Cane Train
Train Engines and Power
Cool Sights Along the Way
Images for kids
See also

History of the Sugar Cane Train

Lahaina Station, where the train journey began.

The train tracks follow an old path that was first built to carry sugarcane. This sugarcane came from farms in Kāʻanapali and went to the Pioneer Mill in Lahaina. Long ago, Maui island had over 200 miles (320 km) of train tracks just for moving sugarcane! But over time, trucks started doing this job instead of trains.

In 1969, a person named A.W. "Mac" McKelvey and a company called Makai Corporation decided to create this railroad. They wanted to show people an important part of Hawaii's history.

On July 24, 2014, the company announced it would close on August 1, 2014. This was because they were having money problems. The company was then put up for sale.

Just a few months later, a local Maui resident named Craig Hill bought the Sugar Cane Train. He owned Maui Concierge Services. Mr. Hill believed it was important to keep the train running. He wanted to save one of Lahaina's most famous attractions.

The Sugar Cane Train now runs special "Holiday Express" trains during the Christmas season. These trains run on a shorter part of the track in Kaanapali. They usually operate from late November until December 25. There were plans to get the full train line working again.

The company wanted to fix up all three of its old steam engines. They also thought about adding new safety crossings to prevent accidents. Future plans for the Sugar Cane Train included hosting weddings and running evening train rides. Old tracks were being replaced with new ones. Even though the website said the train would fully reopen in 2018, only the Holiday Express trains ran. In 2018, a co-owner said they hoped to open fully in May 2019, but this did not happen.

In July 2021, the entire railroad, including the tracks and trains, was put up for sale for $400,000. The sale meant that whoever bought it would have to take the tracks and equipment away. This is because the land itself was not part of the sale.

On August 8, 2023, a big fire in Lahaina sadly destroyed the Lahaina train station and part of the railroad. Luckily, much of the train equipment and sheds were safe because they were north of the fire. For now, the railroad is not running, and its future is uncertain.

Train Engines and Power

The Lahaina, Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad had several interesting engines:

No. 1 Anaka: This is a steam engine built in 1943. It was first made as a "saddle tank" locomotive. This means it had a large water tank wrapped around its boiler. The LKPRR changed its look a lot! They removed the saddle tank and added a separate car called a tender to hold water and fuel. They also gave it a bigger smokestack, a wooden cab, and a larger headlight. These changes made it look like the fancy old trains from the late 1800s.

No. 3 Myrtle: This engine was built at the same time as No. 1. It is also a steam engine from 1943. The LKPRR also changed its look, but they made it seem a bit more modern, like trains from the early 1900s. It has a steel cab, a special "whaleback" tender, and a smaller headlight. Its design and name were inspired by a real sugarcane engine that ran in Hawaii a long time ago.

No. 5: This steam engine is special because it has historical ties to Hawaii. It used to run on the Oahu Railway and Land Company. In 1954, it was given to a museum in Los Angeles. The LKPRR traded some equipment to bring No. 5 back to Hawaii. It is not currently working and needs a lot of repair. This engine was badly damaged during the 2023 wildfire.

No. 45 Oahu: This is a diesel locomotive, which means it runs on diesel fuel instead of steam. It also came from the Oahu Railway & Land Company.

Cool Sights Along the Way

When you rode the Sugar Cane Train, you could see several interesting things:

The Hahakea wooden bridge, which is 325 feet (99 m) long.
A working wooden turntable in Lahaina, which is used to turn the big train engines around.
Amazing views of the nearby islands of Lanai and Molokai.
Beautiful views of the Hale Mahina, also known as the West Maui Mountains.
You could also see the "blowdown" near the train yard and the bridge. This is when the steam engine releases steam and water.