Awesome news!

I think I can ....I think I can.....

Great.....The history should be preserved..

That is great news. If I lived closer I would volunteer my time... would have that trestle rebuilt in a weekend! They don't call me Big John for nothin' !

scale rail posted:

No trains tell the trestle is repaired.

Freaking SWEET!

I rode behind that very locomotive in 2003 on that line, so happy to hear others will get the same experience eventually.

By the trestle, you mean the big one by the golf course, right?

Nicely done! I rode that line back in 2001 how does the RR position itself to deter development around the right of way?

Wonderful news !!

It is a great experience. When on vacation at Papa Kea Resort timeshare we would pass the train filled with tourists. Rode on the train twice, a relatively short trip pack with a beautiful view of the ocean. Residential building is now blocking the view first seen in 1968.

Lee, yes the big one. Most of it's fine but some of the base timbers need to be replaced. John, my first trip here was in 68 also. Landed at airport beach then, right on the beach. Our house is right up the hill just three blocks. It was all sugar cane then, no houses. DonDon

Been to Maui twice. Both times we had a room where I could watch the train travel across the fields. Sure hope they get to run again.

They will Jim. I saw piles of new ties next the engine house yesterday. They are going to plant lots of coffee plants along the right of way. I asked Craig the new owner if he was a big railroad fan. He told me no but in thirty years of living on Maui he was tired of seeing our history die. He and his partner seem committed to this project. As you maybe know we filmed almost every run the last week of operation. Did many interviews with the original owners. The working title of our film was to be "End of the Run" but now the hour video will thankfully change. Hoping to run it on PBS Hawaii. Don

This is only one (raw) shot from the many GoPro HD cameras we mounted on the engine for the last runs. This is right over the pilot. Don

Thanks for sharing! Headed back in 2018!!

Jeff, well stop by. We are only three blocks up the hill. Don

It was very sad seeing the train the last few weeks. Five or six passengers on the entire train. Once word got out they were shutting down the train would be full many trips. They had three derails that I know of the last year. For months the two steam engines would be broken down and the Plymouth switcher had to do all the runs. Everything was falling part the last few years. On one of the last run we were on the trestle and a coupler just fell apart. We had to back up very slowly all the way to the shops. The crew asked me to help them put together a coupler. We walked through the weeds looking for parts. The engine house was a mess. We found everything we needed as the passenger waited on the train. Now I'm used to Lionel couplers. Do you know how heavy just the parts to a coupler are? The engineer, fireman, conductor and I put the thing together and we finished the run. Looking back it was great fun filming and getting to know those guys that worked so hard to keep everything working. Can't wait to film the first steam run. Don

This is awesome! Was out there about 5 years ago - stayed at the Westin Ka'anapali. Would watch it from right outside our room door. My wife made fun of me because I would hear it coming and run outside to see it. Headed back in maybe 2 - 3 years when my wife retires. 

Neat video. I would love to get there.

That engineer looks like one of the guys from ZZ Top, with the beard.