|
|
 |
|
|
Central
Agro-Industrial CAI "IFrain Alfonso" near Stanta
Clara had the biggest engines of the country. When Baldwin #1850
accelerated its loaded train near Pozo, even the horse in the
foreground got scared.. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Jose
Smith Comas near Cárdenas was famous for its immaculate engines.
While the whole country seemed to lack of paint and colour, the
engineers at José Smith Comas always managed to get some supply to
keep its engines in perfect state. Baldwin 2-6-0 No.1531 from
1925 headed with an empty outbound
to the fields, near Progresso. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
CAI Mañalich had,
as
a peculiarity, both standard
and narrow gauge lines with steam engines for both systems. The
picture shows a n.g. train approaching the mill, crossing the La Habana - Santiago de
Cuba main
line. The lady in front of the engine
was in charge of operating the signal that was the only security
measure for the level crossing with the main line! |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Getting
to the spots was often difficult, not only because of the
poor road conditions, but since roadsingns were virtually
nonexistent and detailed maps something like wishful thinking in a country that barely could print newspapers due to lack of
paper, ink and money. While the country was short of pretty much
anything except sugar and rum, labour was available in abundance.
So it was never an issue getting some help, for instance for
fixing flat tires or giving direction. Here,
a
friendly loco fireman from Espartaco
guided us to all the way to that bridge, a location we probably
would never have found without his kind assistance. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
One of
the highlights of any Gricer's trip to Cuba was certainly a
visit of the Rafael Freyre
system in the remote Holguin Proince with its
wonderful collection of 2'6" Baldwins.
Here, No. 1387 runs uphill from one
of its many branches where loaded cars had to be picked up,
which then were added to a lengthy main train that had been left
meanwhile at a
junction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Baldwin
No 1386 was in perfect condition in 1999, when it passed the
scenic limestone hills with
a loaded train. Safety at work was not
a top priority in Cuba, as you can tell from the staff travelling
on top of the tender. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A
fair portion of good luck was needed for this picture of a
freight on the Peurto Vita branch at
Rafael Freyre. Only once or twice a month such a train was sent to the port to
get fuel for the
engines and the mill. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
When
Baldwin 1387 finally had collected all the loaded wagons by late
afternoon, sun was already setting behind the hills, allowing
eventually this silhouette on the final leg
to the mill near Barjay.
All Pictures taken in March/ April 1999.
|
|
|
Links: Cuba
section of Steam
Railway Photographs by David Longman, a great website on regular
steam in Germany, Poland, China, Cuba and Zimbabwe..
|
