Plantation Locomotive, <i>Olomana</i>
date: label: Date made
content: 1883
label: used date
content: 1883-1944
name: label: user
content: Waimanalo Sugar Company
label: maker
content: Baldwin Locomotive Works
notes: label: Description
content: The <i>Olomana</i> was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, for the Waimanolo Sugar Company of Oahu, then part of the Kindom of Hawaii. It was the third locomotive to arrive on the island and was originally named the Puaalii. This narrow gauge tank engine worked for 62 seasons, pulling cars of sugar cane from the fields to the processing plant located in northeastern Oahu. During this time few mechanical changes were made; however, the boiler was replaced twice and the fuel was changed from coal to oil in 1928.
label: Description
content: During its service life the <i>Olomana</i> hauled or pushed small four wheel cars piled with sugar cane. The sticky juice from the cane lubricated the tracks so that extra sand was needed to improve the engine's traction. The <i>Olomana</i> and other two locomotives were outfitted with extra sand boxes during their service. Traction, not speed, was the <i>Olomana's</i> chief concern. She was designed for slow speed pulling, with 20 mph an optimum, and normal running speeds far below that pace.
label: Description
content: The <i>Olomana</i> was retired in 1944 when the 'sugar railroad' was abandoned in favor of motor trucks. Four years later the engine was purchased by Gerald M. Best of California. Mr. Best and his wife, Harriet B. Best, restored the engine and operated it on a private railroad in Los Angeles area before presenting it to the Smithsonian in 1977.
label: Location
content: Currently on loan
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
label: used
content: United States: Hawaii, Oahu
topic: label: Subject
content: Railroads
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Transportation, Railroad
label: See more items in
content: America on the Move
label: See more items in
content: Transportation
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Gerald M. and Harriet B. Best
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.336162
label: accession number
content: 1977.0647
label: catalog number
content: 336162
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Plantation Locomotive
label: Object Name
content: locomotive, plantation
label: Object Name
content: locomotive
label: Object Name
content: locomotive, full size
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 106 in x 70 in x 232 1/4 in; 269.24 cm x 177.8 cm x 589.915 cm