The first railways on Fiji were 2ft 6in (762mm) gauge lines constructed for the haulage of sugar cane. The first steam locomotive operated in 1882.
Subsequent development of the system on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu was mainly to 2ft (610mm) gauge. At its maximum extent there were over 700km of line. By an arrangement with the government, a free passenger service operated once or twice a week on one of the major routes, but this service was withdrawn in 1973.
Today about 590km of the system remain in use. In the early years of the 21st century progressively more and more cane traffic was transferred from rail to road. This has led to traffic congestion on inadequate roads, as well as problems of pollution and demands on foreign exxhange resources to pay for imported fuel. Thus the Fiji Sugar Corporation, writing on its website in 2009, reports that it “has been asked by the government to progressively reverse the rail growers using lorry mode transportation to rail proper and the Corporation has provided commitment to the government that by year 2010 49% of the total crop will be delivered to mills via rail network.” The website comments that “the age profile of the locomotive fleet is between 20 years and 40 years. The cane trucks are of various types and ages. Furthermore, due to lack of investment, the condition of track is generally poor. The Corporation is considering strategies such as progressive upgrade of locomotive components selective maintenance on cane trucks, track bridges and road crossings.”
A tourist train, recreating the free train, operates over a section of line at Sigatoka on the south coast of Viti Levu.
© 2005-2011
Glyn Williams
Flag image from CIA World Factbook
