EWA, Hawaii -- The sound of a train whistle bellowing across the Ewa coral plains could be heard from all around, as tons of harvested sugar cane was transported to the wharf over steel tracks, so many years ago in this historic town. Today, the sugar cane fields have long since disappeared, but the memory still remains, and so does part of the old railroad. That part is shared every Sunday with anyone who wants to travel down that track of time.In 1865, Benjamin F. Dillingham, a 21-year-old Sailor who was visiting Hawaii, broke his leg horseback riding and decided to stay for a while during his recuperation. He fell in love with the islands and wanted to start a business and make a life for himself in the town of Ewa. At that time, James Campbell, a businessman who owned a great deal of land on the Ewa coral plains, had successfully dug the first artesian well in this hot, dry area, making it suitable for agriculture. Dillingham approached Campbell and leased some of the land, but ran into a problem right away: transportation. It took an entire day to travel from Honolulu to the Ewa area, so traveling between the two was a great hindrance. In 1888, King Kalakaua granted a franchise to Dillingham's Oahu Railway and Land Co. to build 15 miles of track between Honolulu and the Pearl River Lagoon. With time, the railway covered 73 miles of land, and became the main transporter of the sugar cane crop, which flourished in the dry area. Each plantation owned its own trains, so use of the tracks was very common. During World War II, the railway was at its peak in business. It was a common carrier that transported people and supplies, along with crops that needed transport to the wharf. After the war ended, so did the use of the railways. It wasn't economical anymore, as other forms of transportation were utilized. Eventually, the sugar cane plantations closed down due to the lack of water and other problems. Although most of the old railway was destroyed, the Hawaiian Railway Society, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to saving and restoring the railway, as well as keeping alive an important part of Oahu's history. To this day, the organization maintains the portion of the railway in the town of Ewa, and offers guided train rides on the old railway every Sunday."I'm a train nut, most of us volunteers are," said Tom Waters, a volunteer with the Hawaiian Railway Society. "I've been into trains since high school, and have been loving this ever since."Waters, as well as a majority of volunteers at the society, accomplish a variety of tasks for the trains. "It just depends on what we do on a specific day," said Waters. "Sometimes we conduct the train rides, serve as a brake or a flag man, narrate, or even maintain good upkeep on the place and the trains."A narrator accompanies every train ride, explaining the history of the railway, and what it was used for. The tour extends from Ewa to Paradise Cove Luau - located in the lush Ko Olina Resort in Waianae - and can carry up to 170 passengers. There are two 90-minute, round-trip train rides on Sundays that go out at 1 and 3 p.m. The cost for adults is $10, and children ages 2 - 12 cost $7. Seniors 62 and up also cost $7. A picnic area is available for birthday parties or other special occasions, and food or beverages may be brought onto the train. The old train yard is home to many old locomotives and train cars on display in the open-air museum. In addition to Sunday rides, the railway is available for weekday charter rides. For more information on spending a Sunday afternoon capturing a taste of history on a historic locomotive, call (808) 681-5461, or visit the Web site at www.hawaiianrailway.com.