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Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

February 24, 2020 09:05PM avatar
I spent some time today exploring the grade of the Hawaiian Railroad, a 20-mile long, 3-foot gauge common carrier that in one form or another brought sugar from the mills along the Kohala coast to the port in Mahukona for nearly 60 years, from the early 1880s into the 1940s. Information on the line is limited, but it is written up in several books including a dedicated book from 1971 called Narrow Gauge in a Kingdom by J. C. Conde. There's also some info on line, such as [www.coffeetimes.com]. Today's trip covered the 1-mile stretch from the old harbor of Mahukona to the Kapa'a Park Road, which is the most accessible and probably best preserved stretch. This area once had a lot of trestles, which seem to have been converted to fills with lava rock retaining walls. Continuing north goes into posted and fenced property, then through some developments that have mostly destroyed the grade, and finally into the sugar cane region which has a lot of private property and is largely jungle and rain forest. I've poked around Mahukona a few times before, but I don't know why I haven't taken the time to hike this grade until now. It's only a 25 mile drive to Mahukona for me, and without photo stops the round trip hike would be just over an hour.
See replies for more photos.

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The surviving depot at Mahukona dates to 1930.
Subject Author Posted

Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad Attachments

Todd Hackett February 24, 2020 09:05PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad Attachments

Todd Hackett February 24, 2020 09:11PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad Attachments

Todd Hackett February 24, 2020 09:14PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad Attachments

Todd Hackett February 24, 2020 09:20PM

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ND Holmes February 24, 2020 11:13PM

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Brian Norden February 24, 2020 11:47PM

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Todd Hackett February 25, 2020 12:13AM

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tgbcvr February 25, 2020 03:29AM

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Todd Hackett February 25, 2020 12:32PM

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szuiderveen February 26, 2020 10:04AM

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tgbcvr February 26, 2020 10:42AM

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Todd Hackett February 26, 2020 11:38AM

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tgbcvr February 26, 2020 12:44PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

Todd Hackett February 26, 2020 02:50PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

tgbcvr February 26, 2020 03:53PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

Todd Hackett February 26, 2020 05:36PM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

Dave Peterson February 25, 2020 01:11PM

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alcofan February 26, 2020 09:17AM

Re: Mahukona to Kapa'a on the Hawaiian Railroad

C&Ssteamer February 27, 2020 11:45AM



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