Hawaii Consolidated Railway
Encyclopedia
The Hawaii Consolidated Railway (HCR), originally named the Hilo Railway, was a standard gauge
common carrier railroad that served much of the east coast of the island of Hawaii
(The Big Island) until an important section of the line was destroyed by a tsunami
on April 1, 1946.
(OR&L), the HCR grew out of a necessity for good transportation (mainly for sugar plantations
)
at the turn of the twentieth century. Though not the first railroad on the Big Island, it was certainly the most ambitious. Its principal backer was Benjamin Dillingham
, the businessman who also started the OR&L, among numerous other Hawaiian companies. In the late 1890s Dillingham purchased land near the growing city of Hilo, and it was this land that would become his Olaa Sugar Company plantation. On March 28, 1899, Dillingham received a charter to build the original eight miles of the Hilo Railroad that connected the Olaa sugar mill to Waiākea
, soon to become the location of Hilo's deepwater port.
Line extensions continued apace. The Olaa line was completed in 1900, immediately followed by a seventeen mile extension to Kapoho, home of the Puna Sugar Company plantation. Immediately after that two branch lines were constructed, also to sugar plantations, and then the railroad was extended north into Hilo itself. A chiefly tourist line, branching from Olaa, was built inland 12.5 miles up the mountain to Glenwood where visitors to the Volcano House
near Kilauea Volcano would then transfer to buses. Due to stiff competition from motor vehicles, the Glenwood extension was scaled back to Mountain View in 1932.
to build a breakwater and improve Hilo Bay
's harbor. In exchange for those projects the Hilo Railroad had to build a line north-northwest of Hilo up the rugged Hāmākua coast
. While the 33.5 mile Hāmākua Division was an engineering marvel—the railroad was forced to blast three tunnels and construct 22 large wooden trestles and thirteen large steel trestles—it was the most expensive railroad mile for mile in the world at that time. The tremendous expense forced the company into receivership by 1914, and by 1916 it was sold in foreclosure proceedings.
made the company that much more prosperous.
caused by an Aleutian Islands earthquake struck Hilo and the Hāmākua coast, devastating the city and wiping out instantly a number of railroad bridges.
The destruction was so massive that the HCR filed for abandonment soon after the tsunami, receiving permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission
to do so as of December 31, 1946. Parts of the original Hilo Railway line southeast of Hilo were taken over by the local sugar plantations, but those were soon abandoned for trucks in 1948. Despite its destruction, the bridge-laden Hāmākua division was later appropriated by the Territorial Government and became part of the Hawaii Belt Road north out of Hilo. One of the only remnants of the railway is the roundhouse
in Hilo at coordinates 19°43′12"N 155°4′00"W, which is on a list of most endangered historic sites in Hawaii.
Information about this railway can be found at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum, located in the old station agent's house.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
common carrier railroad that served much of the east coast of the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
(The Big Island) until an important section of the line was destroyed by a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
on April 1, 1946.
Origin
Like the Oahu Railway and Land CompanyOahu Railway and Land Company
The Oahu Railway and Land Company, or OR&L, was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that served much of the Hawaiian island of Oahu until its dissolution in 1947.-Origin:...
(OR&L), the HCR grew out of a necessity for good transportation (mainly for sugar plantations
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
)
at the turn of the twentieth century. Though not the first railroad on the Big Island, it was certainly the most ambitious. Its principal backer was Benjamin Dillingham
Benjamin Dillingham
Benjamin Franklin Dillingham was a businessman and industrialist during the late Kingdom of Hawaii era, throughout the period of the Republic of Hawaii, and during the first two decades of the Territory of Hawaii.-Life:...
, the businessman who also started the OR&L, among numerous other Hawaiian companies. In the late 1890s Dillingham purchased land near the growing city of Hilo, and it was this land that would become his Olaa Sugar Company plantation. On March 28, 1899, Dillingham received a charter to build the original eight miles of the Hilo Railroad that connected the Olaa sugar mill to Waiākea
Waiakea
Waiākea is an ancient subdivision in the Hilo District of the Big Island of Hawaii, located in the area of .-Origin:The name comes from wai ākea in the Hawaiian Language meaning "broad waters", and sometimes what is now called Hilo Bay was called Waiākea Bay.Waiākea is home to many and has its own...
, soon to become the location of Hilo's deepwater port.
Line extensions continued apace. The Olaa line was completed in 1900, immediately followed by a seventeen mile extension to Kapoho, home of the Puna Sugar Company plantation. Immediately after that two branch lines were constructed, also to sugar plantations, and then the railroad was extended north into Hilo itself. A chiefly tourist line, branching from Olaa, was built inland 12.5 miles up the mountain to Glenwood where visitors to the Volcano House
Volcano House
Volcano House is the name of a series of historic hotels built at the edge of the Kīlauea volcano, within the grounds of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Island of Hawai'i. The original 1877 building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now houses the Volcano Art Center...
near Kilauea Volcano would then transfer to buses. Due to stiff competition from motor vehicles, the Glenwood extension was scaled back to Mountain View in 1932.
HCR: early phase
At this point the Hilo Railroad's southern section was fairly complete, and with strong sugar-related traffic the company was financially healthy. However, the company's fortunes would change drastically when Dillingham and other company owners in 1907 petitioned the US Congress and Territory of HawaiiTerritory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
to build a breakwater and improve Hilo Bay
Hilo Bay
Hilo Bay is a large bay located on the eastern coast of the island of Hawaii.-Description:The modern town of Hilo, Hawaii overlooks Hilo Bay, located at ....
's harbor. In exchange for those projects the Hilo Railroad had to build a line north-northwest of Hilo up the rugged Hāmākua coast
Hamakua
thumb|right|280px|Districts of [[Hawaii |Hawaii island]]: from northernmost, clockwise; [[Kohala, Hawaii|Kohala]], Hāmākua , [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
. While the 33.5 mile Hāmākua Division was an engineering marvel—the railroad was forced to blast three tunnels and construct 22 large wooden trestles and thirteen large steel trestles—it was the most expensive railroad mile for mile in the world at that time. The tremendous expense forced the company into receivership by 1914, and by 1916 it was sold in foreclosure proceedings.
HCR: through World War II
The company was reorganized as the Hawaii Consolidated Railway (HCR). While the new Hāmākua line had been extremely expensive to build, and was costly to maintain, it was especially popular with tourists, and combined with regular passengers and traffic generated from the numerous sugar mills along the way, the HCR made great strides in paying down its debt. Increased revenue during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
made the company that much more prosperous.
Postwar conclusion
Ironically, just as the HCR was finally emerging from its long-standng financial troubles, it was literally hit with a blow from which it never recovered. On the morning of April 1, 1946, a massive tsunamiTsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
caused by an Aleutian Islands earthquake struck Hilo and the Hāmākua coast, devastating the city and wiping out instantly a number of railroad bridges.
The destruction was so massive that the HCR filed for abandonment soon after the tsunami, receiving permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
to do so as of December 31, 1946. Parts of the original Hilo Railway line southeast of Hilo were taken over by the local sugar plantations, but those were soon abandoned for trucks in 1948. Despite its destruction, the bridge-laden Hāmākua division was later appropriated by the Territorial Government and became part of the Hawaii Belt Road north out of Hilo. One of the only remnants of the railway is the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
in Hilo at coordinates 19°43′12"N 155°4′00"W, which is on a list of most endangered historic sites in Hawaii.
Information about this railway can be found at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum, located in the old station agent's house.
Further reading
- Best, Gerald M. Railroads of Hawaii: Narrow and Standard Gauge Common Carriers. Golden West Books, 1978.
- Treiber, Gale E. Hawaiian Railway Album WWII Photographs, volume 2. The Railroad Press, 2005.