The Sugar Cane Train in Maui Hawaii is officially caput and up for sale:

https://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/ne ... ist-train/

$400,000 for the WHOLE outfit including rail, rolling stock, and auxiliary equipment including several trucks and heavy equipment pieces. An absolute song of a price considering this includes two steamers near operating condition.

The only problem, the land its sitting on IS NOT part of the deal. So unless you already own your own cargo ship and heavy moving equipment good luck getting it off the island for less than seven figures.

Or, maybe strike a deal with the property owner and leave it where it is!
How many miles of track?

I understand that there are multiple owners involved. When the line was built the route was relatively undeveloped and railroad obtained easements over some of the land. Now that land has been parceled out and developed.

The same old problem of not owning your own land or right-of-way.

It seems to me that there is only one logical buyer:

If that was possible, the present owners would have done so. It's now located smack dab in the middle of fancy real estate, not sugar cane fields. There's no deal to be struck.

The last sugar cane produced on that island was shipped out about 3 or 4 years ago.

Wow! I didn't realize that the entire sugar cane industry was gone from Maui. I recall reading how huge the sugar cane industry was there at one time.

I'm glad that I was able to ride the train in the mid 2000's when I honeymooned there. It was a pretty nice setup, with the loop track at the far end and the small turntable at the near end. Terrific view from the tracks, and an impressive boiler blow-down on the long bridge.

I hope to make it back to Maui someday, but I guess that I won't be riding the train this time. :(

Also, do not forget about the Kauai Plantation Railroad on Kauai.

Near as I can tell, there seem to be two basic stories here....
One is that the sale offer is just to "gauge" interest and somehow value the equipment....which seems an odd way to do that....
Two is that a developer has acquired at least some of the land and has plans to build high end homes in it....which is where the current owner has been stuck for several years....
If that's the story, the railroad is pretty much done....unless they can somehow buy the land from that developer....
That whole area has basically turned into big resorts and homes...it's becoming like Oahu/Honolulu....and for whatever reason the developer wants the train gone...even though it could be a nice addition to the resorts....probably because said developers don't own it....

A train is cute, as long as it runs along your neighbors property, and not yours.

The equipment is not native to Hawaii, so its value for historic preservation is low. The equipment value is only as good as the need for a scenic railway. Oahu's preserved line does not have the same sales potential as the Maui line.

The #5 is.

The locomotives were built by Porter and out-shopped in 1943, 27 years later they went to work on the L.K.& P. The engines have spent the last 51 Years on Maui creating their own history. I would argue at least the steam locomotives are historically significant to the State of Hawaii, certainly to the island of Maui. Hopefully all the equipment can find new purpose somewhere in Hawaii.

Oh man... creating a heritage railroad that serves to recreate the experience of past "tourist railroads". It's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it'd fly.

It'd be fun though!

Gaudy painted steam engines with that ubiquitous railroad "old west" font, antler ears on headlights. Equipment that hasn't seen maintenance in years... ok, maybe not that last part. :D

That would be the 0-6-2T that is out front of the Lahaina depot. That is former Oahu Sugar #5 that was once on display at Travel Town in Los Angeles.

When the LK&P was operated by Kyle Railways they arranged a trade that caused this locomotive and the Oahu R&L 4-6-0 #85 to go back to the Islands. The #85 was late acquired by the Hawaiian Railway Society and moved to Ewa on Oahu.

The HRS has one or two locomotives already in its collection that are similar to Oahu Sugar #5.

Here is a photo I took of #5 back on March 1, 2017, when I was on a cruise of the Islands. The Depot location is about 3/4 mile walk from the dock the cruise passengers are shuttled to.

Rebel Railroad - Gold Rush Junction - Silver Dollar City - Dollywood