Laupahoehoe Train Museum

Five stars because this was my grandma’s childhood home. The superintendent, Mr Stanley, is my great grandfather.nSo glad y’all kept this alive!

Very interesting information. Some great artifacts and photos. Learned a lot about the sugar business and the area. Doug was great, he was engaging and had lots of great information!

Prior to heading here, keep in mind that following WW2, almost the entirety of the Hawai'i island's rail system was literally scrapped. Every train, bridge and building except for this museum and the roundhouse in Hilo.nnSo this museum won't have all the trains one normally expects. This museum is more of one of the oral history and documentation since that is most of what only remains.nn5 stars because it is extremely informative as the volunteer who was there that day showed me around explaining the full and rich history of the rail line and its co-developed sugar plantation industry. I was walked through the photos and artifacts that remained as well as was shared the complete history of the line from it's conception through to it's ultimate end as it was literally erased from the island.nnAs a non profit/volunteer structure in the rainforest side of the island, their task is large, and fund's limited in what they can do. But if you are somebody who loves to learn about the history of where you are? Then this is a place to go! Head there with plenty of time to hear the tales and see all the pictures and really get the full scale about what was once here.nnIt is not a rail museum to look at trains and cars. This is a museum whose focus in on the history of the rail line and to preserve what little of it survived. So as a place of history? Full on 5 stars because the story and info they share can only be found here. Without this museum, it would quickly be forgotten.

Second time visiting and it is a fantastic little gem of a place. The history of the railroad and sugar cane on the islands is disappearing and places like this help keep it alive. They ask for a donation of $5 per person or $15 per group of 3 or more and the card machine wasn’t working when we went in March 2019 but the volunteer who was there was very knowledgeable and friendly. This is a quick stop if you just skim and listen to the volunteer or you could spend hours pouring over all the photos and information, it’s up to you!

Great for kids and train lovers! Wonderfully preserved train station that now serves as the train museum. A separate annex to run N-scale model engines, a wooden train table on the porch, and an immaculately preserved caboose on the property. Arlene, the volunteer on the day of our visit, was incredibly welcoming and knowledgeable.nLots of documentation inside on the building of the railroads in Hawai'i and history on the 4/1/46 tsunami that hit Laupahoehoe