Toppled poles block Ewa train rides this weekend

A semi-trailer truck snagged a utility line in Ka­polei on Saturday, bringing down about a dozen utility poles and forcing the Hawaiian Railway Society to cancel train rides this weekend.

Just before 11 a.m., firefighters received a call about a truck carrying a load that had snagged a line near Costco in Kapolei, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Scot Seguirant.

Eight firefighters responded to help secure the scene, finding 12 to 15 downed poles, Seguirant said. The fallen lines were telecommunication lines and not power lines, he said. No injuries were reported and the driver of the truck stayed at the scene.

Police closed Kamokila Boulevard near Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue for about two hours for crews to clear the roadway.

The Hawaiian Railway Society, a nonprofit that provides train rides along a historical track from Ewa to Nanakuli, canceled its rides because of the incident. The society, located on Renton Road, offers train rides at 3 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 3 p.m. Sundays.

Steve Vendt, operations manager for the railway society, said the toppled poles stretched about a quarter- mile along the track in both directions from the accident. He said the downed poles likely couldn’t be removed until at least Monday, nixing this weekend’s rides.

The train, which can carry up to 180 people, takes a route that includes a stretch along the Leeward coastline and a stop in Ko Olina for riders to purchase ice cream.

Patrons who showed up for Saturday’s ride were greeted with signs alerting them to the situation, but the Model Railway Museum remained open. The museum likely will be closed today because the train will not be running, Vendt said.

For more information on the train rides, visit hawaiianrailway.com.