Isle railroad chugs along
again after brush fire

Volunteers replace 200 wooden
ties that were scorched

A historic railroad line on the Leeward Coast is now in full operation after Hawaiian Railway Society members replaced almost 200 wooden ties that were damaged by a large brush fire.

"They're not all fixed, but we've managed to piecemeal it back together to run the entire length of the trail," society spokesman Karol Chordas said.

About 130 people rode the two train rides offered yesterday on the historic Oahu Railway and Land Co. line, the first time it operated at its full length since the Aug. 6 brush fire.

The wooden ties were scorched in a mile-long section on the Leeward Coast in a brush fire that burned about 400 acres. Members were forced to shorten the 6.5-mile ride that normally runs from Ewa to the Kahe Point Power Plant.

Rides were also operated at half the cost while members worked on replacing the damaged ties.

Three weeks after the brush fire, Willolyn Kapena Jose, 27, of Waianae was charged with a federal offense of possession of a prohibited weapon in connection with it.

Police found a beer bottle filled with an unidentified liquid and a wick protruding from the top in the vehicle she was driving. Police also discovered an empty gas can in her vehicle.

A witness reported seeing a driver in a suspicious vehicle on the day of the fire on Farrington Highway and Laaloa Street near Honokai Hale. A day later, police found Jose and the vehicle that fit the witness's description.

In all, 630 wooden ties were scorched by the flames, Chordas said. Damage was estimated at $30,000. With the help of an estimated 30 volunteers, members replaced each tie by hand.

"We certainly appreciate the effort by the volunteers. I think we may even have gained some members in this process," Chordas said.

"There is still a lot of ties that need to be replaced," he added. "Due to federal railroad registration guidelines, we placed the ties to meet the requirements of the standards, which is four ties per length of rail, and every joiner bar needs to have a sound tie. We were able to pick and choose, and we managed to get just under 200."

The first tracks of the railway were built by Benjamin Dillingham in 1889. In 10 years, nearly 80 miles of track were constructed.