It appears the LK&P may have a buyer.

And it's no one anyone here predicted, if this is to be believed:

https://www.facebook.com/knottsberrytal ... 9228934197

"Knott's Berry Tales" (a Facebook page about the California park, not an official Knott's Berry Farm page) states:



If this mangled post is to be believed, it's possible the Cedar Point and Lake Erie RR made the move to snap up the stuff........

I hope this stuff gets to run. My wife and I were lucky enough to have had our 2003 Island cruise divert to Lahaina instead of Fanning Island due to a storm, as we never would gotten there otherwise. We took lighters out to the docks and it was perfect timing to have time to walk around before boarding a train. Both steam locomotives were running then.
Even though it's unlikely we'd ever get back there, it really makes me sad to know other people will never get that experience again...

Knott's was looking for a small steam locomotive to use in lieu of the Galloping Goose a few years ago. Cedar Point sent a locomotive that they had taken in trade for their #1 Maud L Baldwin Forney to Disney (this became the Ward Kimball). This locomotive was a build up by Keystone Light Railways, originally intended for Marriott's Great America. The locomotive was never put into service by Marriott, and has had a few owners over the years. The Knott's staff got it running, and it was sent back to Sandusky where it was converted back into a tender locomotive, it's rear tank cut off the main frame. The Knott's crew thought that had their winter locomotive, and instead in trade that got CP&LE #2 Jennie K, a Porter ex saddle tank that had been converted to a 2-4-0 back in the 1960's, and had been in more or less continuous service until the late 1980's A change in the upper management at Cedar Fair killed the possibility of that locomotive being rebuilt and it was sold at auction a few years ago, going to noted animatronic builder Garner Holt. If indeed this is true, then quite possibly that Knott's is going to get at least one of these locomotives. Both of the LK&P locomotives came from the same operation that the CP&LE #4 Porter came from, Carbon Limestone. Without the saddle tanks they weigh in a little under the weight of the C 19's at Knotts .

I looked into these over a year ago. First, the cars are tourist made and fiberglass body. The loco's are converted saddle tank'rs. The boilers are commercial aka industrial boilers like used in an industrial plant. The pluming is a nightmare of what looks like cut stock from your local hardware store. Both have been setting outside in the salt rain since being shut down. Collecting salt rain in the smoke box's. A lot of the outside hardware is just tourist trappings. Wood cab on one is falling apart. Cylinders and such are all frozen. Boilers are out of certification and going sour. Wheels are well worn because they were spun a lot due to no saddle tank load and pulling many cars. All in they will take a lot of work. To move each single loco to the mainland west coast would take about 50,000 on ship freight alone There is no one there willing to help in loading up the equipment. The west coast ship off loading is badly back logged, like for months. Pulling the rail would not be worth the recovery. The land was sold for condo and retail sales development, they were kicked off, after a lot of false promises on the approved development plans. Money talks you know. The pictures show nice, but in person they are a real mess.

You could bring back the loco's and tenders but the balance would only be a liability unless you want to strip out the trucks. But disposing of the cars would be a cost. Hawaii is now a socialist dream land and no one wants to co-operate on anything. I remember riding on these trains when I was way younger and they were new to the tourist trade. Sad. I had seriously considered them but you would have near 800,000 in just the two locos and tenders cleared to the west coast. Then the liability of removing the other stuff. Not cost effective.

Dan

I have a occasional correspondent in Honolulu who is with the Hawaiian Railway Society on Oahu. He is also the author of a couple of Arcadia books.

He says that the Hawaiian Railway Society would like to obtain the diesel locomotive of the LK&P as it was originally owned by the Oahu Ry.

I don't know if that would be a logical move for HRS, maybe a diesel since that is all they currently operate. Their "runs" are simply an out and back and the scenery leaves much to be desired until you reach the resort side of Oahu.

Their "run" is about a 10 mile round trip which is impressive for Oahu.
I last visited in 2004 and the development surrounding the railroad was nowhere near as much as it is today.

It is not their fault the more natural and original Hawaii of even 15-20 years ago is disappearing.

Their "run" is about a 10 mile round trip which is impressive for Oahu.
I last visited in 2004 and the development surrounding the railroad was no where near as much as it is today.

Not their fault the more natural and original Hawaii of even 15-20 years ago is disappearing.[/quote]

When I went in 2019 it was mostly homeless camps on each side of the tracks that we saw.
While my oldest child enjoyed the graffiti I was forced to cover my younger child's eyes so they couldn't see the nudity or drug usage going on as we passed. Again that isn't the fault of HRS but it certainly detracts from the experience.

The diesel is being kept in the shed, one steam is or was half out and half in and one steam is setting out in the full rain. The diesel is fully usable. I thought the same thing but they want to sell the package. Ripping up the rail is a problem. You are dealing with the local government and they are not very understanding or co-operative.

Dan