The Hawai'i Railway System, Inc. has begun negotiating with the state of Hawai'i for a contract to build and operate a railway system under the Hawai'i Railway Law.
"The new system wll extend and supplement the automated rail line the city is about to begin building," said Hannah Miyamoto, chief executive officer of the railway. "It will not," she emphasized, "replace or substitute for the city rail system."
Once the state and Hawai'i Railway System finalize their contract, planning the new privately-financed railways on O'ahu can begin, said Miyamoto. Planning began three years ago, and the start of operations is planned for 2017.
More railways on neighbor islands will follow, she said, with heavy maintenance done in Honolulu. The system will eventually create thousands of jobs, through direct hiring and by lowering costs for businesses and residents. "We see huge growth potential for railways in Hawai'i," Miyamoto said.
"Local investors have already expressed interest" in the new system, which, she said, will use the latest proven technologies. "Automation is key to achieving our reliability and efficiency goals," said Miyamoto.
The Hawai'i Railway System, Inc. (Hawai'i Ala Hao Hihi) is a Hawai'i domestic corporation founded in 2012 and headquartered in Honolulu.
The state Railway Law is chapter 273 of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes.
