Hawaiian Railway Society

The Hawaiian Railway Society preserves and operates the only remaining section of the historic Oahu Railway and Land Company railroad, a remarkable narrow-gauge line that once circled the entire island of Oahu and served as a vital transportation artery for Hawaii’s sugar industry for over half a century. Founded in 1889 by Benjamin Dillingham, the original OR&L at its peak operated over 70 miles of 36-inch narrow gauge track connecting Honolulu to the North Shore, the west coast, and the agricultural communities of central Oahu. Today, the Hawaiian Railway Society operates excursion trains on a 6.5-mile section of restored track in the Ewa Plain of western Oahu, using vintage narrow gauge equipment, including a restored Baldwin steam locomotive, vintage diesel locomotives, and authentically preserved passenger cars and freight equipment. The two-hour round-trip excursion carries passengers along the historic Ewa coastal plain with views of Pearl Harbor, the Waianae Mountains, and the Ewa sugar lands that the railroad helped develop. The society’s collection includes several unique and irreplaceable pieces of Hawaiian railroad history, including equipment used by the military during World War II when the OR&L served a vital role in the defense of Oahu. The museum depot in Ewa Beach is open for tours, and knowledgeable volunteer docents provide fascinating insight into Hawaii’s little-known railroad heritage.