Laupahoehoe Train Museum, Hawaii

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Laupahoehoe, Hawaii · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Railroad museumOpen Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; other days by appointment

The Laupahoehoe Train Museum keeps the memory of the Hilo Railroad and Hawaii Consolidated Railway alive in the restored station agent's house at the old Laupahoehoe Train Station, a labor of love by the people of the Hamakua Coast.

  • Opened March 1, 1998
  • Restored station agent's house
  • Hilo Railroad history, 1899 to 1946
  • Big red caboose on the lawn
  • Model train room with N and HO layouts
  • Volunteers who love to talk story

Laupahoehoe Train Museum at a glance

Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 am to 2 pm; other days by appointment; closed major holidays
Admission
Adults $10, seniors and kamaaina $8, students $5, family $25
Seasonal events
Night at the Museum events, Halloween open house
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families and history lovers driving the Hamakua Coast
Best ages
Ages 3 and up

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Laupahoehoe Train Museum? 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 Laupahoehoe.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A coast railroad, a tsunami and a community that remembered

From 1899 until 1946, the Hilo Railroad and its successor, the Hawaii Consolidated Railway, carried goods and passengers up and down the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island. Laupahoehoe had its own station, and in the 1920s the town in the valley was home to some 2,000 people, with businesses lining both sides of the road. In 1946 a devastating tsunami damaged the tracks and facilities beyond repair, and the railroad never ran again.

Decades later, residents decided that story should not be lost. The Laupahoehoe Train Museum and Visitors' Center opened on March 1, 1998 in the old station agent's house, on the site of the Laupahoehoe Train Station. Volunteers restored the home and furnished it as it would have looked in the early 1900s, then began filling it with photographs and memorabilia, many donated by families with railroad connections.

The work moved outdoors too. Behind the house, the old wye had vanished under vines. Community members and Kulani inmate community service crews hauled away more than 50 dump truck loads of green waste and found rail and a switch stand that had been rusting for over half a century. Grants later helped restore the track, the engine and the caboose, and the museum built a history kiosk at Laupahoehoe Point in 2002.

Inside the agent's house and out on the wye

Start in the station agent's house, where period furnishings, photos, artifacts and stories fill the rooms and the volunteers, many of them lifelong residents, are happy to talk story. A small gift shop sells items handcrafted by local residents.

Out back on the wye, a dual gauge track holds a replica standard gauge caboose, a narrow gauge boxcar restored with as much of its original steel as possible, and a diesel switch engine that escaped the scrapper and runs again on tour days and special occasions. In the converted carport, the model train room holds an N gauge layout by Neil Erickson representing the Hilo Railroad line along the coast, and a static HO model by Stan Heggland that won a National Golden Spike award. The grounds are planted with tropical fruit trees, good for a stroll or picnic.

Don’t miss

  1. The big red cabooseThe landmark on the front lawn that tells you that you have arrived, a standard gauge replica you can climb aboard.
  2. The station agent's houseRestored and furnished in early 1900s style, it is the heart of the museum.
  3. The diesel switch engineSaved from scrap and running again on tour days, though it does not give rides.
  4. Narrow gauge boxcarRestored largely with original steel, it once worked plantation lines for a mill in Haina hauling explosives.
  5. Golden Spike HO modelStan Heggland's static HO layout won a National Golden Spike award for design and craftsmanship.
  6. Neil Erickson's N gauge layoutA model of the Hilo Railroad and Hawaii Consolidated Railway line along the Hamakua Coast.

A caboose to climb and model trains to watch

Kids can climb aboard the caboose (still a work in progress inside), peek into the boxcar and see the switch engine run on tour days. The model train room is a natural magnet, and the lawn and fruit trees give little ones room to move after looking at photos indoors.

The museum has public restrooms, and the grounds make a good picnic stop on the drive between Hilo and Honokaa. Families get a $25 rate.

Plan your visit: tips for Laupahoehoe Train Museum

  • Hours can change with volunteer availability, so call (808) 962-6300 before you drive.
  • Look for Highway 19 near mile marker 25, the brown Heritage Corridor signs and the red caboose.
  • It is about 30 minutes north of Hilo and 25 minutes south of Honokaa.
  • Public restrooms are available inside the museum.
  • Tours and private appointments can be booked by phone or email.

Run by the community, kept on track by members

The museum is a community-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by admissions, donations, memberships and aloha. Memberships run from Gandy Dancer ($25) and Brakeman ($40) up to Fireman, Conductor and Engineer, and include a year of admission, a replica HCR Railway card, an annual newsletter and the chance to join restoration projects.

Island hopping for more rail history

The closest rail stops on this site are across the channel on Maui: the Sugar Cane Train, about 90 miles away, and the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, about 100 miles. See every train museum in Hawaii for the full island list.

Every train museum in Hawaii

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Rally never leaves without his suitcase: turtle toy, green bone, yellow ball. A stop like this, with fruit trees and a lawn by a big red caboose, is the kind of place where that yellow ball would come right out. My mom loved little detours like this, and she is the one who dreamed up Rally's trip before she died in 2021. Our coloring pages make a nice souvenir for the ride home.

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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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

Work or volunteer at Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

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.

Laupahoehoe Train Museum: 20 questions for your Hamakua drive

What are the Laupahoehoe Train Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open 10 am to 2 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with other days by appointment. It closes on all major holidays, and hours sometimes change depending on how many volunteers are available, so call (808) 962-6300 before you make the drive.

How much are Laupahoehoe Train Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and kamaaina, $5 for students, and $25 for a family. Special rates are available for tours. Tickets are sold at the museum, and you can call (808) 962-6300 or email laupahoehoemuseum@gmail.com to arrange a group visit.

Where is the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

The museum is at 36-2377 Mamalahoa Hwy, Laupahoehoe, Hawaii 96764, along Highway 19 near mile marker 25 on the Hamakua Coast. Follow the brown Hilo-Hamakua Heritage Corridor signs and look for railroad crossing signs and a big red caboose on the lawn. It is across from the coast's only service station.

How far is the Laupahoehoe Train Museum from Hilo?

It is about 30 minutes north of Hilo and about 25 minutes south of Honokaa on Highway 19. That makes it an easy stop on a Hamakua Coast drive, and the grounds are a pleasant place to stretch your legs, picnic or use the public restrooms.

What do Laupahoehoe Train Museum reviews say?

Visitors often mention the friendly volunteers who love to talk story, the period-furnished station agent's house and the photos of the old coast railroad. It is a small museum, so most people spend about an hour. The museum has a TripAdvisor listing where you can read recent comments.

What railroad does the Laupahoehoe Train Museum cover?

Most of the museum's story is about the Hilo Railroad, which began in 1899, and its successor, the Hawaii Consolidated Railway, which hauled goods and passengers along the Hamakua Coast until 1946. The museum also covers plantations, tsunamis and the wider history of the North Hilo and Hamakua districts.

Why did the Hamakua Coast railroad stop running?

In 1946 a devastating tsunami damaged the railroad's tracks and facilities beyond repair, ending service that had run along the coast since 1899. The museum tells that story, along with the history of Laupahoehoe town, through photos, newspaper accounts and personal stories.

When did the Laupahoehoe Train Museum open?

The Laupahoehoe Train Museum and Visitors' Center opened on March 1, 1998. Community residents restored the old station agent's house on the site of the Laupahoehoe Train Station and furnished it in early 1900s style, and the collection has grown ever since through donations.

Is there a train at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

Yes, several pieces. A replica standard gauge caboose sits on the lawn, a restored narrow gauge boxcar and a diesel switch engine are on the wye out back, and a dual gauge track holds them all. The switch engine runs on tour days and special occasions.

Can you ride a train at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

No. The museum's diesel switch engine was saved from the scrapper and runs again on tour days and special occasions, but no rides are given. Kids can still climb aboard the caboose and enjoy the model train room instead.

Is there a model train display at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

Yes. The train room holds an N gauge layout by Neil Erickson representing the Hilo Railroad line along the Hamakua Coast, a static HO model by Stan Heggland that won a National Golden Spike award, and an N gauge work in progress by Ted and Heiki Wolf. Everything in the room was donated.

Is the Laupahoehoe Train Museum good for kids?

Yes, for a short visit. Kids can climb aboard the caboose, look at the boxcar and switch engine, and watch the model trains, and the grassy grounds with fruit trees give them room to run. The family rate of $25 makes it affordable for a group.

How long does a visit to the Laupahoehoe Train Museum take?

Most visitors spend about an hour touring the station agent's house, the model train room and the equipment on the wye. Add time if you want to picnic on the grounds or chat with volunteers, who enjoy sharing stories of the old railroad days.

Can I schedule a tour of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

Yes. To schedule a tour or private appointment, including on days the museum is not normally open, call (808) 962-6300 or email laupahoehoemuseum@gmail.com. Special admission rates are available for tour groups, and giving the volunteers a few days of notice helps them plan to meet you.

Does the Laupahoehoe Train Museum have a gift shop?

Yes. The small gift shop sells unique items handcrafted by local residents, along with railroad keepsakes. Purchases help the museum, which depends on admissions, donations and memberships to stay open, so a small souvenir is a simple way to say mahalo to the volunteers.

Are there restrooms at the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

Yes, public restrooms are available inside the museum, which makes it a welcome stop on the drive along the Hamakua Coast. The grounds are planted with tropical fruit trees and ornamental plants, so it is also a nice place to relax or have a picnic.

Does the Laupahoehoe Train Museum hold events?

The museum has hosted Night at the Museum events for the community, including a book signing with historian Quentin Tomich, and has opened its doors for Halloween. It also built a history kiosk at Laupahoehoe Point in 2002. Call (808) 962-6300 to ask what is coming up.

How do I become a member of the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

Membership levels include Gandy Dancer $25, Brakeman $40, Fireman $100, Conductor $500 and Engineer $1,000. Members get a year of admission, a vote at the annual meeting, a replica HCR Railway card, an annual newsletter and a chance to help with restoration projects. Memberships are tax deductible.

How can I donate to the Laupahoehoe Train Museum?

The museum is a community-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations are tax deductible. Mail to Laupahoehoe Train Museum, P.O. Box 358, Laupahoehoe, HI 96764, or email laupahoehoetrainmuseum@yahoo.com. Families with railroad connections are also welcome to share photographs for the growing collection.

What other train attractions are in Hawaii?

The nearest ones are on Maui: the Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad, also called the Sugar Cane Train, about 90 miles away, and the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum in Puunene, about 100 miles. On Oahu, the Hawaiian Railway Society runs historic train rides from Ewa Beach.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil
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