1 4 ▁and ▁connected ▁the ▁water front ▁at ▁Ap ia ▁and ▁a ▁wireless ▁station ▁on ▁Mount ▁V ae a ▁in ▁German ▁Sam oa . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁began ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁light ▁railway ▁on ▁U pol u , ▁the ▁main ▁island ▁of ▁German ▁Sam oa , ▁to ▁transport ▁building ▁material ▁from ▁the ▁water front ▁at ▁Ap ia ▁to ▁the ▁wireless ▁station . ▁The ▁railway ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁just ▁as ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁began . ▁The ▁railway ▁was ▁approximately ▁ ▁long , ▁or ▁ ▁including ▁the ▁various ▁branches ▁to ▁the ▁co con ut ▁plant ations . ▁A ▁pet rol ▁locomot ive ▁engine , ▁which ▁had ▁probably ▁been ▁ ▁manufact ured ▁by ▁Mot oren fab rik ▁Ober urs el ▁for ▁the ▁Tele fun ken ▁W ire less ▁Co ., ▁was ▁capable ▁of ▁ha uling ▁a ▁maximum ▁load ▁of ▁five ▁tons ▁at ▁a ▁top ▁speed ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁German ▁Sam oa ▁was ▁occupied ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁by ▁an ▁expedition ary ▁force ▁sent ▁from ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁When ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Railway ▁engine ers ▁unit ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁A uck land ▁Regiment ▁arrived ▁in ▁Sam oa , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁in ▁dis rep air , ▁but ▁a ▁gang ▁of ▁sur fac emen , ▁under ▁Lieutenant ▁Christoph ers , ▁lifted , ▁ball asted ▁and ▁rela id ▁the ▁rails . ▁A ▁frequent ▁service ▁was ▁instit uted , ▁and ▁for ▁several