Casey,
While we do not have an exact date the Shays were withdrawn from service we believe their use was very limited beginning in the early to mid 1930's. The tempo of operations for both the railroad and the canneries was 24/7 during the peak of pineapple harvest season and the Shays were simply to slow to keep up with the harvest. They seemed to be adequate when originally purchased but as the pineapple fields expanded and the capacity of the canneries increased were found unable to keep up with the required moves. The OR&L hired an efficiency expert in 1939, Mr. C.R. Patch, to review the pineapple transportation methods. His report looked at both the railroad and the methods of harvesting pines and bringing to the various railheads in the fields. In his final report, Patch concluded that the Shays were inadequate and unless their speed could be increased of no value to the railroad.. I believe it is possible that the Shays could have been used at the very beginning and end of the harvest season when smaller quantities of fruit would have been handled but have no documentation to support this idea as a single rod engine could have handled the smaller loads, During the peak of the season the OR&L had to use double and triple headers to keep up. There are two interesting side lights to this issue about the Shays. In October 1919, prior to receipt of the first Shay, Hawaiian Electric Company, representing Westinghouse, proposed electrification of the Wahiawa Branch (9.75 miles), and recommended the use of three 50-ton electric locomotives. Total cost of equipment, including the locomotives but excepting poles, labor and buildings for the generators was $183,013.75. A Shay cost $34, 600 shipping and erection included. We know the OR&L's decision. In 1942 Shay No. 44 was returned to service following minor repairs and testing. The reason for this is unknown but empirical evidence in the Dillingham Collection at Bishop Museum that if the Army’s railway guns were required to be moved over the “connecting” railroad from Brodie No. 2 onto the Waialua Agriculture tracks and to the North Shore, locomotive No. 44 would be called upon to handle the move.
Jeff Livingston
