Historic Ewa Beach Train

This weekend Hubby was working a bit on the proposal for his dissertation and needed some quiet at the house. So the boys and I headed for the historic Ewa Beach train. We took a 90 minute narrarated ride from the Ewa Plain to Kahe Point. This is a 300 horsepower Whitcomb diesel electric locomotive that was donated by the military. It was built in 1946.We sat right near the narrator on the outbound. Can you see his twirly mustache? We heard the history of the Oahu Railway and Land company, and how the trains were used on sugar plantations. The trains are former military flatbed cars that have been restored by the Hawaiian Railway Society.

First we rode through the Ewa Plain. This is a coral bed. The ocean used to run over these beds. Now they are building homes over the coral beds. We rode from Ewa through the Ko' Olina Resort, and out to Kahe Point. Everyone must stay seated the whole trip until we get to Kahe Point. Then the passengers are encouraged to get up and stretch, and switch sides. On the outbound, we sat on the makai (Hawaiian word for ocean) side of the train. On the inbound we sat on the mauka (Hawaiian word for mountain) side of the train. While we were standing, we saw several whales breach out at Kahe Point!!! It was so exciting....and Son1 totally got into it. He was screaming at the top of his lungs (with all of the other kids on the train) "A whale! A whale! I see the whale!" I am not sure if it was just one whale or multiple whales, but they completely breached themselves out of the water in a backward arch, from head to tail. The conductor shared that this is the most they have ever seen of the whales in 12 years! The whales travel in the channel between Oahu and Kauai to Maui for their migration pattern. We were so excited we called Daddy at home from the train. The conductor was excited, too. He called his wife back at the station. She was selling train tickets. Just as we pulled into Kahe Point, we saw Electric Beach where Hubby scuba dives. I had never been out there before. That was fun! We rode all the way back to the train station. The kids were all allowed up to the locomotive to pull the whistle. It was too loud for Son2 so I hung back from the train a bit, and he jumped up there all by himself and blew the whistle.
This was at the edge of the outdoor train museum. Inside the train barn, we peeked at this parlor car. It was built in 1900 for the Oahu Railway & Land Co. founder, Benjamin F. Dillingham. It is called No. 64. This was the finest parlor car that ran on the tracks, and was also an observation car. It originally cost about $4,400. It has a double-size rear platform, surrounded by ornate iron grillwork. Inside it is made of oak, mahogany and birdseye maple. The parlor car originally had a galley, lavatory, washstand and sideboard. It was used frequently by the OR&L for visiting dignitaries. Some the famous guests were Queen Lili`uokalani and other members of the Hawaiian royal family.

Here is an old original car that belonged to the Oahu Railway and Land Company.


This train was built in 1890. It has a tender and was the first steam locomotive used on the Ewa Sugar Plantation.

This coal burner was the first locomotive bought and used by Oahu Railway & Land Company. It was built in 1889. Son1 bought a little locomotive at the gift shop. He is holding it here in his hands.

This is a 150 horsepower diesel electric built by General Electric in 1942. It was used as a switcher by the military.

We walked along the rest of these old train cars.