Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train) in Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii
Heritage railroad with a museumNo longer operating
The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, known to generations of visitors as the Sugar Cane Train, was West Maui's three-foot narrow gauge steam line, carrying families in open-air coaches between Lahaina, Kaanapali and Puukolii.
- Forty-four seasons of steam rides
- Three-foot narrow gauge
- Six-mile, 40-minute trip
- Curved Hahakea trestle
- No longer operating
Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train) at a glance
- Hours
- Closed; no longer operating
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Best for
- Rail history fans remembering the line
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Follow Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train)
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train)? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Kaanapali, Maui.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Forty-four seasons of steam on West Maui
The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad was a steam-powered, three-foot narrow gauge tourist railroad marketed as the Sugar Cane Train. For forty-four seasons, a pair of restyled Porter steam locomotives pulled open-air coaches about six miles between Lahaina, Kaanapali and Puukolii, a 40-minute ride that crossed the curved Hahakea trestle with the West Maui Mountains in view. Riders saw neighborhoods, golf courses and the Kaanapali resort area, and many used it as a fun way to get from Lahaina town to the resorts. In later years trips began at the north end, at Puukolii Road and Honoapiilani Highway, and ran only to Kaanapali.
The line's end came hard. A brush fire of roughly 90 acres near Kaanapali consumed the railroad's shops, destroying two steam locomotives and numerous passenger cars and damaging a diesel locomotive. The Sugar Cane Train no longer runs, but it remains a fond memory for families who rode it.
What is left to see
There is no train ride or museum to visit today. For Maui's sugar and plantation history, the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, about 10 miles away, is the place to go.
Where to take train-loving kids on Maui now
The Sugar Cane Train was long a favorite family ride, but it no longer operates. On Maui, the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum is the nearest rail-history stop, and on Oahu the Hawaiian Railway Society still runs historic train rides.
Plan your visit: tips for Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train)
- Do not plan a trip around the Sugar Cane Train; it no longer runs.
- Visit the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene for Maui sugar history.
- On Oahu, the Hawaiian Railway Society still offers historic train rides.
Remembering the crews
Generations of crews kept the Sugar Cane Train's steam engines and open-air coaches running for visitors over forty-four seasons. The railroad no longer has a public office or posted contact details.
Rail history still open to visit
On Maui, the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum is about 10 miles away. On the Big Island, the Laupahoehoe Train Museum is about 90 miles, and on Oahu the Hawaiian Railway Society still runs trains. See every train museum in Hawaii.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Open-air coaches and the West Maui Mountains on one side: I love imagining the view from the Sugar Cane Train. In our book, Rally sits by an arched window, watches the ocean and greets a white bird, and I think a lot of families have their own version of that memory from this line. If you have one, share it with your kids. The story behind our book explains why remembering matters to us.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Hawaii: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Hawaii
- Halloween train rides in Hawaii
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad (Sugar Cane Train)?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Sugar Cane Train, Maui: 20 questions answered
Is the Sugar Cane Train on Maui still running?
No. The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, known as the Sugar Cane Train, no longer operates. A brush fire near Kaanapali consumed the railroad's shops, destroying two steam locomotives and numerous passenger cars and damaging a diesel. Do not plan a Maui day around a ride on it.
What was the Sugar Cane Train on Maui?
The Sugar Cane Train was the marketing name of the Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, a steam-powered, three-foot narrow gauge tourist railroad on West Maui. It carried visitors in open-air coaches on a six-mile, 40-minute trip between Lahaina, Kaanapali and Puukolii.
What happened to the Sugar Cane Train?
A brush fire of about 90 acres near Kaanapali swept through the railroad's shops. Two steam locomotives and numerous passenger cars were lost, and a diesel locomotive was damaged. The Sugar Cane Train no longer runs.
How long did the Sugar Cane Train operate?
The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad ran for forty-four seasons as West Maui's tourist line. Over that time it became a familiar family outing and a fun way to travel between Lahaina town and the Kaanapali resort area.
Where did the Sugar Cane Train run?
The line ran about six miles between Lahaina, Kaanapali and Puukolii on West Maui. In its later years, trips started at the north end of the tracks at Puukolii Road and Honoapiilani Highway and ran only as far as Kaanapali rather than all the way to Lahaina.
What locomotives pulled the Sugar Cane Train?
A pair of restyled Porter steam locomotives pulled the open-air coaches for most of the railroad's life. A diesel locomotive was also on the roster. Both steam locomotives were destroyed when fire consumed the railroad's shops.
What was the Hahakea trestle on the Sugar Cane Train?
The Hahakea trestle was a curved bridge on the line, one of the most photographed spots on the route. Trains crossed it with the West Maui Mountains in the background, which made it a favorite moment for riders and rail photographers.
Where can I see Sugar Cane Train Maui photos?
Photos of the Sugar Cane Train are shared on travel sites, rail history sites and its TripAdvisor listing, where past riders posted pictures of the steam engines, open-air coaches and the Hahakea trestle. Many families also have their own snapshots from rides over the years.
What do Sugar Cane Train Maui reviews say?
Past riders described it as fun for the whole family and a handy way to travel from Lahaina into the Kaanapali resort area, with a scenic view of neighborhoods, golf courses and the West Maui Mountains. Those reviews describe the railroad when it was running.
How long was the Sugar Cane Train ride?
The trip covered about six miles and took about 40 minutes. Passengers rode in open-air coaches behind a steam locomotive, which kept the ride breezy and made it popular with families with young kids. It was short enough to fit easily into a beach or resort day on West Maui.
Was the Sugar Cane Train narrow gauge?
Yes. The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad was built to three-foot narrow gauge, the same gauge used by many Hawaii plantation railroads. That narrow gauge gave the line its small, old-plantation look, and it matched the scale of the restyled Porter steam locomotives that pulled its trains.
Can I visit the Sugar Cane Train site today?
There is no museum or public visitor site for the Sugar Cane Train today, and the railroad has no posted contact details. For Maui rail and sugar history, visit the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, about 10 miles away.
Was the Sugar Cane Train good for kids?
It was a well-loved family ride. The 40-minute trip, open-air cars and real steam locomotive made it an easy outing for young children. Families looking for something similar today can head to the Hawaiian Railway Society on Oahu.
Where can I ride a train in Hawaii now?
On Oahu, the Hawaiian Railway Society runs narrated historic train rides from Ewa Beach. On Kauai, the Kauai Plantation Railway at Kilohana runs daily rides, and Grove Farm Museum runs its restored steam engines on special Train Days.
Did the Sugar Cane Train haul real sugar cane?
The Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad was a tourist railroad that carried passengers, not a working cane line. Its name and narrow gauge recalled the plantation railroads that once hauled cane on Maui, but its trains were open-air passenger coaches.
Did the Sugar Cane Train go to Lahaina town?
It used to. The line once ran south into Lahaina, and riders used it to travel between town and the Kaanapali resorts. In its later years the train ran only between the north end of the tracks at Puukolii and Kaanapali, so the Lahaina leg was no longer part of the trip.
Is there a museum about the Sugar Cane Train?
No museum dedicated to the Sugar Cane Train is open to visitors. For the wider story of sugar on Maui, the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene covers the plantation era and is the closest rail-related stop on the island.
What were the Sugar Cane Train coaches like?
Passengers rode in open-air coaches, which let in the breeze and gave clear views of the West Maui Mountains and the coast. Numerous passenger cars were lost in the fire that consumed the railroad's shops.
Can I donate to save the Sugar Cane Train?
The railroad does not post any preservation fund or contact details. If you want to support rail history in Hawaii, consider membership or donations to active groups such as the Hawaiian Railway Society on Oahu or the Laupahoehoe Train Museum on the Big Island.
What rail history is near Kaanapali?
The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, Maui is about 10 miles away. The Laupahoehoe Train Museum on the Big Island is about 90 miles away, and the Hawaiian Railway Society on Oahu, which still runs trains, is about 120 miles away.
Keep exploring
More family train guides from Rally
- DirectoryRailway Museum Directory650 train museums in all 50 states, with hours, tickets and train rides.
- HolidayChristmas Train RidesSanta trains and holiday light rides, sorted by state and town.
- OctoberHalloween Train RidesPumpkin trains and not-too-spooky rides for little ones, by state.
- NovemberThanksgiving Train RidesHoliday weekend train trips the whole family can share.
- AmtrakAmtrak With KidsWhich Amtrak routes work best with babies, toddlers and big kids.
- Plan a tripTrain Trips With KidsEvery Amtrak route, stop by stop, planned for families.