It's The End for the Maui Sugar Cane Train

Why the music? You've got nat sound to work with. 

The doc will have very little music. This was made for the tourists. We are trying to get Henry Kapono to do the voice over. He did the music for one of the Christmas videos on the forum we did. It was about "Toys and Trains". He's a very nice guy and he took his family on the train the last run. Don

Very sorry to hear that it is closing.  I got to ride it back in June 1991 on my honeymoon.  Our room in the hotel in Kaanapali faced inland and I saw the train from the window.  I took some long distance photos of the train.  My wife was amused by my reaction (but not surprised).

Stuart

We live right up the hill from where you stayed. Kaanapali Hillside. We will miss the little whistle. I spent a lot of time down at the engine house. Don

Don

Wow!

Got to be glad for the time you had and I know you're going to miss it 

It's great you got to share it with all of us

Mark

Sorry to hear the line is finally closing. I actually really liked the video.   I love the flowers on the cars too.  Too bad some of that effort didn't go into track work though, that ride looked a bit rough.   

Having spent time around 15" gauge steamers and smaller prototype engines,  the sound of this engine's whistle,  the single piston air pump,  and the general mechanical noises all just have the right feel to me.  Sorry I was never able to get there in person.   

What's the story on that tender design?  Is that was is referred to as a turtle tender?

Really glad l got to ride this several years ago.....wonder why somebody is blocking this preservation of history?  For me, this was an attraction to Hawaii 

@colorado hirailer posted:

Really glad l got to ride this several years ago.....wonder why somebody is blocking this preservation of history?  For me, this was an attraction to Hawaii 

Maybe they just don't want a tourist train chugging across their property and/or the possibility of tresspassers.  Not everyone loves steam trains.

Rusty

@Stuart posted:

Very sorry to hear that it is closing.  I got to ride it back in June 1991 on my honeymoon.  Our room in the hotel in Kaanapali faced inland and I saw the train from the window.  I took some long distance photos of the train.  My wife was amused by my reaction (but not surprised).

Stuart

 

We've stayed at the Kaanapali twice - once in 2011 and again in 2019. Definitely missed seeing it last year. When I would hear the whistle, I would ru out our door as our door faced the highway. 

@scale rail posted:

We live right up the hill from where you stayed. Kaanapali Hillside. We will miss the little whistle. I spent a lot of time down at the engine house. Don

Didn't realize you lived so close - I would have contacted you when we were there last year. Maybe next time! 

Judging by your footage and the short video, this will be a great documentary. Although like Rich I am not a fan of a lot of music that accompanies train videos, I liked the music for this one. Just the right feel.

Can anyone give some details on why an agreement couldn't be reached. I tried to look it up, but couldn't find any information.

@Clarence Siman posted:

Can anyone give some details on why an agreement couldn't be reached. I tried to look it up, but couldn't find any information.

It's likely the details won't be made public.

Rusty

Will, when we did an hour DVD for the Golden Gate Railroad Museum about the Southern Pacific #2472 I got a few comments about using some music but the vast number of comments went something like this. "Finally someone did a watchable video about trains". I come from a television background and my approach is to entertain. Sure when there's a reason to have sound up full, I would do that, but sitting through an hour of train sounds doesn't happen to appeal to me. We even got a review from a railroad magazine that said, "this is a video everyone would like not just hard core railroad people". I am doing this video for TV and home video. There might be two versions. We had three GoPro cameras on the engine for most runs the last week it ran the full line. We also filmed inside the train talking to people riding it for the last time. We talked to the engineer and fireman. We did a wonderful interview with the original owner. All this was three years ago. The train ran for Christmas three years and was sold out every run but it could only run about a third of the line then had to back down to the station. With no tourists here the owners had no way of making money even it they got the right of way. Lahaina is a ghost town. Tourists are the only industry and there are none. 

I talked to Craig the present owner many times and he thought he would get a deal to run all the way to Lahaina again but when he called me yesterday and told me the engines are for sale,  and it's all over,  it was very sad. Sad for for everyone that loved that little train and sad for the island. He had the two steam engines rebuilt last year figuring on getting the OK to run again. They were going to rebuild the trestle, everything was going to work out. I don't know what is going to happen with the Plymouth switcher. There are not many narrow gauge diesels around. Will keep folks informed. Don

I am a big fan of Hawaian music with those haunting steel guitars, so I did not mind! Very sorry for the loss of history, but hope some museum can acquire those engines!

Tin Art, will let you know who buys them when I can, every thing is not finalized yet. Don

THANKS!

Don,

I see an opportunity for you to move up into a larger scale. 

4877, I see who my first track crew would be. Also maybe a new paint job for the engines. Don

Sad   We used to take our kids on this when they were younger.  (OK, it was mostly me that wanted to go).  Although were some not so nice stretches of track with trash on the side or junk in peoples yards.

I have a television background too, and I have a hard time sitting through most train videos. Give me some dramatic structure. I like music that is well done. Let's be honest. Guys that produce train videos don't always have the best musical taste. 😁

@colorado hirailer posted:

.....wonder why somebody is blocking this preservation of history? 

Easy: NIMBY

Andre

I would think the big issue with property ownners is LIABILITY!  I would not allow the train to run on my property unless I was absolutely clear of anything done by the railroad.

And also there would be those who would trespass on property beyond the ROW.

Was there any consideration to buy the ROW, and seal it off?

@jhz563 posted:

What's the story on that tender design?  Is that was is referred to as a turtle tender?

I think so, looks turtlish here.

Link was from the above photo. It usually reprints it.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ge/true/DSC_5686.JPG

Our new National Motto- "It's all about me"

Don't like trains, don't live near them and complain about it.  Same with parks and club land used for decades for RC clubs, off road trails, etc.etc.  This stuff sickens and angers me. It's a rock throwing pro moving into a city of greenhouses and whining their trade me diminished there...move.

Was this line being restored after abandonment or did the lease not carry over to new line owner? Or did a new land buyer throw some weight around?.. What happened there.

  If abandoned I don't fault the land owner too much, but still wouldn't say hi at the local diner or help with a flat tire   

@Adriatic posted:

I think so, looks turtlish here.

 

"Whaleback" tender

@Just a fan posted:

"Whaleback" tender

Same thing according to Wikipedia.  Or called a loaf tender, though they don't say who called them what.

Both narrow gauge engines were built in 1943 at the Porter Company for the mining operation. The sister engines were brought to Maui sometime in the late 60's and converted from tank engines. New cabs, wheels and tenders were built. Flat care were shipped from Alaska of all places and converted to passenger cars. A few flat cars are still on the property. The little railroad was a huge money maker, making millions for years. It was a wonderful and beautiful ride. Most of it was through green sugar cane or pineapple fields. Two trains coming from both directions with a siding in the middle for passing. When the sugar cane plantations closed down, the tourist railroad started to die. It died a slow death. I was asked not to tell the details about the lost right away tell everything is settled and the trains are gone. Don

@jhz563-

Porter 0-4-0T’s converted to 2-4-0’s with tenders...  no wonder it seems familiar!

Maui and the tourist are the big losers in this. We rode this train every time we were there. So SAD.

There still is a non-operational tank engine at the Lahaina station and the operating diesel Plymouth switcher.

@scale rail posted:

Both narrow gauge engines were built in 1943 at the Porter Company for the mining operation. The sister engines were brought to Maui sometime in the late 60's and converted from tank engines. New cabs, wheels and tenders were built. Flat care were shipped from Alaska of all places and converted to passenger cars. A few flat cars are still on the property. The little railroad was a huge money maker, making millions for years. It was a wonderful and beautiful ride. Most of it was through green sugar cane or pineapple fields. Two trains coming from both directions with a siding in the middle for passing. When the sugar cane plantations closed down, the tourist railroad started to die. It died a slow death. I was asked not to tell the details about the lost right away tell everything is settled and the trains are gone. Don

When I was there in June 1991 there were a line of flat cars letters "WP&Y" in a siding.  I pointed that out to my wife that they were from Alaska. She replied "did they take a wrong turn in Albuquerque?"

Stuart

@mlavender480 posted:

@jhz563-

Porter 0-4-0T’s converted to 2-4-0’s with tenders...  no wonder it seems familiar!

Hi Mike!  It does explain why it sounds so right!!

Four minutes of GoPro#1 POV from boiler, GoPro #2 was over the drivers #3 shot up at boiler and stack #4 next to sand down forward. All cameras ran from pull out a the engine house to the "Y" for turning the engine around and full length of the line all the way to the turn table in Lahaina. Picture what it looked like in the 70s. After the trestle was cane all the way to the mountains on the left of screen and almost to the ocean on the right. Harvest time you would see the cutting of the cane and loading them at that time on trucks. Don

Don, I loved the video in your original post, particularly the portion where the train is running while the music is playing. 

I think your choice of music in your videos is always outstanding, and contributes greatly into making your videos works of art.  Arnold

Don, what is the latest in the Sugar Cane Train?  I will be heading to Maui for a break the end of July, was hoping it was still running.  
jon.

It has been over a year since Don's last post.  Hopefully we will hear from him.

@CAPPilot posted:

It has been over a year since Don's last post.  Hopefully we will hear from him.

Pretty sure that he "departed" (or was banned from) the OGR Forum, quite a long time ago.

In addition, I believe he moved to Arizona, so he may not be up to date on Hawaii happenings!!!

I was in Maui a year ago.  As of July 2021, the sugar train cane was out of business.  The tracks were overgrown with vegitation.  The trains were parked.  No signs of operation.

Currently, the trains (loco and rolling stock) are up for sale.

Stu

I’m sorry to learn of this, but thought this line had closed down years ago. 🤔 Last rode on it in 1971.

I assume Maui, Lahaina, or ? has a Chamber of Commerce and an interest in tourist dollars.  I am always mystified when somebody kills a golden goose of a tourist draw to an area.  I think this with locals in Durango wanting to move the train from  downtown.  Lahaina has whale watching (from a distance, so not that exciting), and the road to Hana, so there are other draws, but Mesa Verde is not that close to Durango, and the ski season is not year around.  My several trips to Durango was for the railroad, which in its present form is best represented to me by the coal burning C&T, which doesn't run to Durango. Places l have visited because of RR history include Mich. UP, Maine two footers, Alaska, s. Ky., Strasburg and EBT Pa., the Calf. Western, the Swiss Glacier Express, Norwegian rackrail, etc .  Most those places love tourist dollars, and Lahaina does not?  Hawaii should portray its sugar train history, on at least one of its islands.

Wow, I just realized, from watching the front-end video, that my idea of this train running very slowly through green, green, green grass was greatly in error.  What a delightful ride it must have been.

So sad.

We did our once in a lifetime trip to Maui in 2016. The train depot parking lot across from Kaanapali Beach was open with some signage and plaques but the train was no longer running. Also 2016 was the last year the sugar plantation was in operation on Maui (the last sugar plantation in Hawaii). All land is being bought up by the filthy rich on Maui so the tourist will be next to go as well.

"All land is being bought up by the filthy rich on Maui so the tourist will be next to go as well."

Sadly, that is the case in many, many areas of the USA now. Same is happening in the Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions where I live.

A long time friend that has lived in in what used to be the smallest rural (mountainous) county in Arkansas since a child, is seeing this happen. Not only are some filthy rich coming in and buying huge tracts of land (and promptly closing off any access roads/former public roads), but also those fleeing their "Craphole" cities are moving into the area in unprecedented numbers. This typically is accompanied by a cultural shift within a few years time, and the way of life that the native regional's enjoyed all their life is forever lost.

Andre

Sorry to hijack an old thread. This is my first time to Maui and I didn’t know this train existed. We rented a car and stumbled on some crossings. Are the operating steam locomotives sold and gone? I found three isolated and on display. The shop area looks like some buildings were removed, and I only see passenger cars parked. There’s a cool station and turntable on the south end. Just before that are large rocks fouling the line. The rest of the line is usually hard to tell there are still rails in the weeds. No sign of ties or ballast. What a bummer.

A few more

Sorry I never got to see it.  The equipment is for sale if you have a real hankering for your own narrow gauge working locomotives.

Thanks for sharing your pictures

I road with my parents, oldest son who was 3 at the time and my wife back in 2009. Lahaina station is where we boarded and watched them turn the locomotive on the turntable. It was a great experience that per our conductor had been reduced in length from what it originally was when it started as a tourist ride. Sad to see it gone. My parents went twice a year to Hawaii for over 20 years for vacations and Hawaii for them lost its charm. Sad to see things like this ending to be replaced by sprawl.

SHAME....more history down the tube....had the pleasure to ride several times....will be missed...

Sorry to see it go. It was a fun ride through the sugar cane.

Does anybody know if either of the steamers in the above photos have a history in Bessemer, Pennsylvania in a limestone quarry?

I read that one of the engines from the quarry landed in Hawaii on a tourist railroad but I never bothered to find out which one.

@BillYo414 posted:

Does anybody know if either of the steamers in the above photos have a history in Bessemer, Pennsylvania in a limestone quarry?

I read that one of the engines from the quarry landed in Hawaii on a tourist railroad but I never bothered to find out which one.

These are the two steamers displayed together. They are more south of the Lahaina station and turntable, but not far.
https://lahainarestoration.org...kestack-locomotives/

The green 0-6-2 Sugar Cane Train 5 is on display at the Lahaina station is mentioned here, but no history.

http://www.girr.org/girr/relics/lkp/lkp.html

I can’t find any current status of the steamers or diesel that powered the trains. Google Earth shows the railroad shop area to be more complete then than it looks today.

While talking about the two on display together, here are some shots inside the cabs. I’m surprised at how intact they look for a static display. The vibe in Maui is just different. There’s no sign of vandals breaking or damaging things. The controls for the turntable in Lahaina are unlocked, but still intact like it was just used yesterday.

#5 might the locomotive but I will have to look it up in my book when I get home, if I remember.

When taking shop tour at Strasburg on April 17th,  what we were told was a sugar cane locomotive from Hawaii was in the shop, having a total operational restoration almost completed. The tender was blanketed over in secrecy, as the owner wished to remain anonymous. We were instructed not to photograph the locomotive, it was beautifully restored.

@Sam Jumper posted:

I’m surprised at how intact they look for a static display.

I guess I am sort of surprised some accoutrements on the engines haven't "walked away" yet. Water glass, valve handles, throttle levers, safety valves, lubricators...

@Sam Jumper posted:

Man, those are just so sad!

My wife and I did an islands cruise in 2003 and Lahaina wasn't originally on the Interary, which bummed me out... until a big storm appeared between us and Fanning Island, so they swapped that stop with Lahaina!

This depot was just a few blocks up the hill from the dock there. You couldn't dock a cruise ship there at the time, so we had to take small boats to the dock from the ship but it was well worth it.

We immediately headed for the station and the turntable and rode the first train of the day. It wasn't a long trip but it was nice, kind of like what you'd find at, say, a Disney park as the steam was real but it had a touristy feel to it.

After the ride, I remember we had a great lunch at a place near the waterfront and went to Luau at some resort just North of the downtown area. That was a great day. It's a shame it isn't around anymore but at least I can say I got to ride narrow gauge in Alaska and Hawaii, something not many can say.

While talking about the two on display together, here are some shots inside the cabs. I’m surprised at how intact they look for a static display. The vibe in Maui is just different. There’s no sign of vandals breaking or damaging things. The controls for the turntable in Lahaina are unlocked, but still intact like it was just used yesterday.

Sam, we were in Maui for our 40th anniversary and saw the station across from our resort the Kaanapoli Beach Hotel now Just a parking lot with some signs and the one in Lahina a bit more touristy. The controls must not be pawnable otherwise they would be gone. Most tourist spot locations on Maui have piles of broken glass which were at one time a car window. If anything of perceived value is visible kiss it goodbye. That's the part of our trip that unfortunately can't forget.

I completely forgot to look up the info I mentioned so here it is:

In Ghost Rail IX State Line Legends by Wayne Cole, page 81 says Porter #35 or the Carbon Limestone Railroad in Bessemer, PA was purchased by the LK&P Railroad in Hawaii as a rebuilt 2-4-0 around 1966. I don't believe that's the locomotives in this thread.

@Dan Kenny posted:

Sam, we were in Maui for our 40th anniversary and saw the station across from our resort the Kaanapoli Beach Hotel now Just a parking lot with some signs and the one in Lahina a bit more touristy. The controls must not be pawnable otherwise they would be gone. Most tourist spot locations on Maui have piles of broken glass which were at one time a car window. If anything of perceived value is visible kiss it goodbye. That's the part of our trip that unfortunately can't forget.

Dan, if the so called piles of broken glass and pawn shops were among your take aways from Maui, I do feel for your wife for putting up with you for so long. 🤣🤣🤣

And it's the end for downtown Lahaina as well, it burned down. The whole strip. Not sure if the train station survived. The LK&P is most likely done for good. What will be the appeal of Maui now, besides the Kaanapali resorts and hotels? The train probably even attracted non-rail buffs and older people. I think there is a tourist train on a different Hawaii island. At least it lasted as long as it did. My late mom's late parents went to Maui in 1984 and another time and rode the train.

@Dan Kenny posted:

While talking about the two on display together, here are some shots inside the cabs. I’m surprised at how intact they look for a static display. The vibe in Maui is just different. There’s no sign of vandals breaking or damaging things. The controls for the turntable in Lahaina are unlocked, but still intact like it was just used yesterday.

Sam, we were in Maui for our 40th anniversary and saw the station across from our resort the Kaanapoli Beach Hotel now Just a parking lot with some signs and the one in Lahina a bit more touristy. The controls must not be pawnable otherwise they would be gone. Most tourist spot locations on Maui have piles of broken glass which were at one time a car window. If anything of perceived value is visible kiss it goodbye. That's the part of our trip that unfortunately can't forget.

Your correct, the islands now reflect the mainland with crime. It’s a real shame, but when you have a society that sets up ultra rich and worker bee’s this is what you get. Poor and lots of them, we have a home on Kauai and let me tell you it’s a beautiful place, but do not look to close, you will not like what you see.

On another note I think we should take a moment to remember those lives lost in this horrific fire, the possible loss of the train/station/rolling stock pales in  comparison.

Although I have no way of confirming it as this time., my guess is the LK&P is now just a fond memory. The town of Lahaina is gone (almost 100% according to most reports) and it will take years to restore the infrastructure and the basics that make up a tourist-related destination like Lahiana once was. I visited there many times during the nearly 17 years that I lived in Honolulu, and rode aboard the LK&P several times. Such a terribly tragic loss of lives, with the number going up by the hour, and destruction of businesses and homes.

I remember Lahaina well, we took the whale watching trip from the town and spent another day just hitting all the scenic spots.  I was greatly saddened by the bleak pictures on the news, it seems like nothing is left except for a couple of buildings that somehow survived the raging fires!

Heh. Now the rich people buying up land will probably buy up where the town was and build homes there. And with the railroad gone, there won't be much draw for tourists anymore. My late grandparents on my late mom's side went to Lahaina maybe in the 80's and rode the train and brought us back a postcard and brochure and took some photos of the train they rode, the Myrtle locomotive with the curved top tender pulled their train. I lost my mom last year on June 14 in the hospital because her lungs were weak. Her dad passed Dec 2000 in his home to colon cancer, and her mom passed Jan 2006 to melanoma in the hospice unit.