Difference between revisions of "Grove Farm Company Ltd."
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[[Narrow Gauge Railroads of Hawaii|Hawaii]] / [[Narrow Gauge Railroads of Hawaii#Industrial|Industrial]] / [[Grove Farm Company Ltd.]] | |||
===History=== | ===History=== | ||
<span style="float:right;">__TOC__</span> | |||
<span class="paracap">G</span>rove Farm was an unusual plantation. It was founded and run for most of its existence by George Wilcox, son of missionaries. It did not have its own sugar mill until the 1947 acquisition of the neighboring Koloa Sugar Company, instead, contracting with the Lihue Plantation to have its can processed at their mill and even then continued to send, the cane from the original plantation to Lihue until the end of railroad operations in 1957. | |||
They were slow to embrace railroads, first building a connection to the Lihue Plantation railroad in 1895, using mules to move cane cars over portable track, with the Lihue Plantation using LP locomotives to haul the Grove Farm cane to the Lihue mill. | They were slow to embrace railroads, first building a connection to the Lihue Plantation railroad in 1895, using mules to move cane cars over portable track, with the Lihue Plantation using LP locomotives to haul the Grove Farm cane to the Lihue mill. | ||
They purchased their first locomotive, a Davenport in 1909, which was replaced by a larger Baldwin, No 1, in 1927, but as of 1931 when they owned 13.5 miles of permanent track, still did not own any cane cars, instead depending on the Lihue Plantation for cars. | They purchased their first locomotive, a Davenport in 1909, which was replaced by a larger [[Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]], No 1, in 1927, but as of 1931 when they owned 13.5 miles of permanent track, still did not own any cane cars, instead depending on the Lihue Plantation for cars. | ||
By 1915, the plantation was using field tractors to move cane cars on the portable track. By 1931, the plantation had two Fordson Tractor locomotives also in service on portable track, but a c 1943 photo shows a crawler tractor in use as a switcher on the portable track. | By 1915, the plantation was using field tractors to move cane cars on the portable track. By 1931, the plantation had two Fordson Tractor locomotives also in service on portable track, but a c 1943 photo shows a crawler tractor in use as a switcher on the portable track. | ||
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When railroad operations ended, the family preserved four locomotives in the engine house on what would become the Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum. | When railroad operations ended, the family preserved four locomotives in the engine house on what would become the Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum. | ||
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Reference Material Available Online | ==Reference Material Available Online== | ||
Photographs | |||
===Photographs=== | |||
Collected Grove Farm Company Ltd. Photographs. | Collected Grove Farm Company Ltd. Photographs. | ||
Images collected from private collections, libraries and historical societies. | Images collected from private collections, libraries and historical societies. | ||
Rosters | ===Equipment Rosters=== | ||
Locomotives. | Locomotives. | ||
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Manufacturer unknown, for use on temporary track | Manufacturer unknown, for use on temporary track | ||
Organizations. | ==Organizations== | ||
Grove Farm Plantation Museum | [https://grovefarm.org/ Grove Farm Plantation Museum] | ||
[[Category:30in Gauge Railroads]][[Category:Sugar]] | [[Narrow Gauge Railroads of Hawaii|Hawaii]] / [[Narrow Gauge Railroads of Hawaii#Industrial|Industrial]] / [[Grove Farm Company Ltd.]] | ||
[[Category:30in Gauge Railroads]] [[Category:Sugar]] | |||
Latest revision as of 20:30, 9 April 2021
Hawaii / Industrial / Grove Farm Company Ltd.
History
Grove Farm was an unusual plantation. It was founded and run for most of its existence by George Wilcox, son of missionaries. It did not have its own sugar mill until the 1947 acquisition of the neighboring Koloa Sugar Company, instead, contracting with the Lihue Plantation to have its can processed at their mill and even then continued to send, the cane from the original plantation to Lihue until the end of railroad operations in 1957.
They were slow to embrace railroads, first building a connection to the Lihue Plantation railroad in 1895, using mules to move cane cars over portable track, with the Lihue Plantation using LP locomotives to haul the Grove Farm cane to the Lihue mill.
They purchased their first locomotive, a Davenport in 1909, which was replaced by a larger Baldwin, No 1, in 1927, but as of 1931 when they owned 13.5 miles of permanent track, still did not own any cane cars, instead depending on the Lihue Plantation for cars.
By 1915, the plantation was using field tractors to move cane cars on the portable track. By 1931, the plantation had two Fordson Tractor locomotives also in service on portable track, but a c 1943 photo shows a crawler tractor in use as a switcher on the portable track.
1930 brought a connection to the Koloa Sugar Plantations tracks as condition of the US Government involvement in the upgrades to the harbor at Nawiliwili.
In 1948 Grove Farm purchase the neighboring Koloa Sugar Plantation and with it, its railroad and locomotives, which became the Koloa Division of Grove Farm Plantation, while the original Grove Farm fields and tracks were known as the Haiku Division. Operations were kept separate, with Koloa division cane continuing to be processed at the Koloa mill, while the Haiku division cane going to the Lihue Sugar mill.
Railroad operations ended on the Koloa Division in 1954, and on the Haiku Division in 1957. With the end of railroad operations, all cane was now trucked to the Koloa mill.
When railroad operations ended, the family preserved four locomotives in the engine house on what would become the Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum.
Reference Material Available Online
Photographs
Collected Grove Farm Company Ltd. Photographs. Images collected from private collections, libraries and historical societies.
Equipment Rosters
Locomotives.
No 1 (1st) 0-4-2t, Davenport c/n 947, 12/1909, 8x12, 22,000 lbs Built for Gregg Co (dealer) New York NY, for Grove Farm Replaced by Baldwin No 1, 1927 and scrapped
No 2 (1st) possibly Paloa, 0-4-2t, Baldwin, 6-10 1/3C-53, c/n 14981, 8/1896, 8x12, 26” drivers Built for Fredrick Probst & Co (Dealer) for Lihue Plantation Co, No 2, Paloa Converted to oil BLW-XO-1829-24, 1924 To Hobby Company for use construction Nawiliwili Harbor To Grove Farm when they took over harbor work June, 1928 Apparently In cane service in 1931 (after harbor work is complete) Out of service by 1939
No 1 (2nd), 0-6-0st, Baldwin 6-11D-130, c/n 59888, 3/1927, 9x12, 28” drivers Built for Grove Farms Ltd Purchased to replace Davenport No 1 Inside frame On hand 1946 (Victor Norton)
No 2 (2nd), Puhi, 0-6-2t, Baldwin (class?) c/n 38312, 9/1912, 12x16, 33” drivers Built for C Brewer & Company, for Alexander & Baldwin for: Hawaiian Sugar, No 5 Kauai Purchased by Grove Farm c. 1941 On hand 1946 (Victor Norton)
No 3, Kaipu, 0-6-2t, Baldwin 8-14 1/3D-24, c/n 58557, 7/1925 10x16, 30” drivers 46,000lbs Built for Hawaiian Sugar, No 6 Kokee Wight listed as 49,300 in 1/10/1941 sales listing Purchased by Grove Farm in 1943 On hand 1946 (Victor Norton) Out of service at end of 1957 season Preserved in Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum Restored to operating condition in 1983
No 4, 2-4-2t, Baldwin c/n 13676, 8/1893 Built for Hawaiian Sugar, No 3 Purchased by Grove Farm c. 1941 On hand 1946 (Victor Norton)
No 5, Wahiawa, 0-6-2t, Baldwin 8-18 1/3D-20, c/n 54719, 4/1921, 12x16, 33” drivers, 43,000lbs Built for Kauai Railway Co, No 2 (3rd) Port Allen To McBryde Sugar Co, 6/1938, No 4, Wahiawa To Grove Farm 9/1947 Out of service at end of 1957 cane season Preserved in Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum Restored to operating condition in 1975
No 6, (1st) Hanapepe 2-4-2t, Baldwin, 8-14 1/4C-15, c/n 12966, 9/1892, 10x16, 30” drivers, 38,700 lbs Outside frame, saddle tank Built for Hawaiian Sugar, No 2, Hanapepe New boiler and frame BLW-XO-69, 1938 To Koloa Plantation, Kalauhono, after 1/10/1941 Note: This locomotive is not included in the roster for Koloa Plantation in Sugar Trains and is not listed at either Grove Farm or Koloa in Treiber, vol 4 To Grove Farm
No 6 (2nd) Wainiha, (2nd) 0-6-2t, Baldwin, 8-18 1/3D-18 c/n 42401, 9/1915, 12x16, 33” drivers c/n incorrectly listed as 38311 in Sugar Trains Built for Alexander & Baldwin for: McBryde Sugar No 4, Port Allen, Renumbered No 3 To Lahue Plantation Co 6/1932, renamed Wainiha, No 3 (3rd) New boiler on order XO-239, 1941 To Grove Farm as No 6 in 1947 Preserved in Grove Farm Sugar Plantation Museum Not in operation
2 Fordson Tractor Locomotives by 1931 Manufacturer unknown, for use on temporary track