Steam & Excursion > What's left in Cuba

Lets leave the political discussion out of this thread.

With our government signaling the potential normalizing of relations with Cuba I have to ponder if any of the American built railroad equipment in Cuba will make its way to the USA. What's left over there that could potentially be liberated to the States?

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Better yet. Wonder how soon it will take for organized rail tours to Cuba to begin again?

"Trains of Cube", 1996, by Adolf Hungry Wolf,
has a lot of info about steam, diesel, and electric
locomotives and cars that were -- in 1996 -- in
Cuba. Cuba seemed to be America's attic, as
far as RR rolling stock went.

I do not have any idea what condition any of
this equipment is in now, after decades in a tropical
environment, which is damp and frequently wet.

Hope this info helps, in spite of it being almost
19 years old.

Todd I was thinking the same thing when I heard the announcement........

Go here:

http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/americas.htm#Cuba



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/14 12:31 by CPRR.

From the videos that the Canadian tourists shot I'd say 95% was baling wire material but
there was some steam saved for a potential tourist line. Be interesting to see.

Out

Not to mention the many 1950s era automobiles there.

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Trains of Cube", 1996, by Adolf Hungry Wolf,
> has a lot of info about steam, diesel, and
> electric
> locomotives and cars that were -- in 1996 -- in
> Cuba. Cuba seemed to be America's attic, as
> far as RR rolling stock went.
>
> I do not have any idea what condition any of
> this equipment is in now, after decades in a
> tropical
> environment, which is damp and frequently wet.
>
> Hope this info helps, in spite of it being almost
>
> 19 years old.

Seems like there may have been a trip in 2000 or so also with a group with the same video title.
Probably in the same pile of videos. Seems like in the 90s there was still quite a bit of steam in every crevice of the world.
I think much of that may have changed but still lots of neat stuff.

Posted from Android

My bad -- sorry! "Trains of Cuba" is a book,
not a video.

I heard there was, at some time in the past,
at least one Hershey's streetcar in Cuba
somewhere. There were alsom other streetcars
somewhere in Cuba, too.

In the mid 90s a batch of Dash 7 GEs were shipped to Cuba via Mexico. Wonder if we will ever see the car float operation back in action again between the US and Cuba.

Posted from Android

Not long ago, I spotted RDC cars when my flight from Costa Rica to Miami flew low over Havana (and Havana Central Station). Canadian friends of mine confirmed the operation of former VIA Rail Canada Budd-built RDCs in Cuba.

From reports I have heard, unfortunately, there is not much of any live steam operation left (but hopefully, that may not be entirely correct).

Selected tours have been available to US citizens- but are more expensive than tours of western Europe. Perhaps that, too, well change.

Ojala que si!

Jeff Geldner
Yosemite National Park, CA

Oooooh look, this one still has the bell!!! It can be restored quite easily. Minor paint scratches, those should buff right out.....

---

---

And don't forgot much of the equipment was second hand... Also, I seem to recall gas electrics and Russian equipment.

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My bad -- sorry! "Trains of Cuba" is a book,
> not a video.
>
> I heard there was, at some time in the past,
> at least one Hershey's streetcar in Cuba
> somewhere. There were alsom other streetcars
> somewhere in Cuba, too.

Well, if American railfans make too big a deal of it, the Cubans will keep their equipment like the Mexicans did with the American Alco PAs and the FT set or ask too high of a price from "Rich American Gringos".



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/14 10:47 by wabash2800.

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My bad -- sorry! "Trains of Cuba" is a book,
> not a video.
>
> I heard there was, at some time in the past,
> at least one Hershey's streetcar in Cuba
> somewhere. There were alsom other streetcars
> somewhere in Cuba, too.

No there is actually a video package out with one titled trains of Cuba with the Hershys street car you spoke of. I will get the info off of it this evening and pm you later.

Posted from Android

MarkMeoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oooooh look, this one still has the bell!!! It can
> be restored quite easily. Minor paint scratches,
> those should buff right out.....


Is that first photo indicative of a boiler explosion?

Why taking equipment away from the Cubans when it belongs to their people?... it's THEIR stuff. Let them keep and perhaps assist them in restoring it.

They should know it's historical.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/14 11:58 by Geep.

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is that first photo indicative of a boiler explosion?


Yes. MINAZ 2-8-0 1382, the incident occurred on 25 February 2000. The cause was not low water, the cause was corrosion where the front tube plate is (was) riveted to the boiler barrel.

At this point on the ladder, restoration and museums are the last thing on their mind.

Geep Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why taking equipment away from the Cubans when it
> belongs to their people?... it's THEIR stuff. Let
> them keep and perhaps assist them in restoring it.
>
>
> They should know it's historical.
>
> Posted from Android

Huell Howser who did all of the California's Gold programs on PBS stations was a railfan and I believe that he went to Cuba and did a program on steam trains/locos etc in Cuba. I am too lazy to look it up but his website is easily googled with lists of all the programs.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

CarolVoss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Huell Howser who did all of the California's Gold
> programs on PBS stations was a railfan and I
> believe that he went to Cuba and did a program on
> steam trains/locos etc in Cuba. I am too lazy to
> look it up but his website is easily googled with
> lists of all the programs.
> C.

Hey Carol-- Is this the one you refer to ??

http://www.calgold.com/visiting/Default.asp?Series=400&Show=228

KRK