September 21, 2026, Clinic by Carey Bunn
This clinic was presented as a video. To see the video, click on the following link: The Hawaii Consolidated Railway (1998) VHS 60fps.
Also, Carey showed how he obtained the maps shown in the portion of his presentation. He used “Rail Guide”. To download this application, you will need to go to either the Apple Store or the Google Store.
Below is a summary from the video:
The Hawaii Consolidated Railway is one of those railroad stories that proves fascinating railroading could be found far beyond the continental United States. Originally organized as the Hilo Railroad in 1899, it became an important part of life along the eastern side of Hawaii’s Big Island. The railroad was closely tied to the island’s sugar industry, hauling sugar cane and other freight while also providing passenger service to communities along the route. What began as a relatively short line serving the Olaʻa sugar plantation eventually developed into a much more ambitious railroad system.
One of the most interesting parts of the story is the extraordinary terrain the railroad had to conquer, particularly along the Hāmākua Coast. Deep gulches, steep slopes, streams, and rugged coastline required an impressive collection of bridges, trestles, and tunnels. The program uses a remarkable collection of historic photographs to show just how challenging railroad construction and operation could be in this part of Hawaii. A particularly memorable description associated with the railroad came from Santa Fe railroad agent Roy D. Johnson, who called the Hāmākua Division “the most wonderful 34 miles of railroad in the United States.” Looking at the enormous trestles and the dramatic scenery shown throughout the video, it is easy to understand why the route made such an impression.
The photographs also make this more than simply a story about locomotives and railroad engineering. They provide a wonderful look at everyday railroad operations, stations, employees, passengers, bridges, equipment, and the communities that depended upon the line. For model railroaders, there is a great deal of inspiration in the variety of scenes. The combination of steam locomotives, relatively modest railroad facilities, sugar-related traffic, spectacular wooden and steel structures, and tropical scenery would make the Hawaii Consolidated Railway an unusually interesting prototype to model.
Unfortunately, the railroad’s story came to a dramatic end in 1946. On April 1 of that year, a devastating tsunami struck the eastern coast of the Big Island and destroyed significant portions of the railway. Rather than rebuilding the heavily damaged line, the railroad eventually ceased operation. The video leaves you with an appreciation for a railroad that existed for less than half a century but faced some extraordinary engineering challenges during its lifetime. Thankfully, the surviving photographs and historical material preserve the story of what was once one of the most unusual standard-gauge railroads in the United States.