Brian Ayling's Home Page
Remarkable
Cuba
In Havana, crumbling buildings and ageing American cars present reminders of the
city's glory days prior to the 1959 Revolution. A delight for any present day
visitor is to ride a 1950s American taxi through the streets of Cuba's capital.
The province of Pinar Del Rio, to the west of Havana,
is a mostly agricultural area largely unspoiled by tourism.
Mill 107 Pablo de la Torriente Brau is an easy day return trip from the capital,
and boasts some of the best steam action in the country,
with standard gauge cane trains charging a steep climb through village streets.
Mill 211 Ruben Martinez Villena Clave boasts a varied collection of vintage steam power.
The mill's office building provides an impressive backdrop for
2-6-2T No.1311, a 1911 built Baldwin of unusual proportions,
while to the right No.1207, a 2-4-0T Henschel built in 1912
can be seen shunting wagons into the crushing plant.
Vintage electric railcars and locomotives can be found in service on the Hershey Railway.
Left: a pair of 'Brill' cars stands at Havana prior to departure of the daily service
to Matanzas on 19th March 1996.
Right: no creature comforts here - the spartan passenger facilities at Concuni.
Ten-wheeler No.1342 of mill 428 Marcello Salado hiballs along the straight
out of Remedios. One of Cuba's best known and most photographed steam locomotives,
1342 was built by Baldwin in 1911.
No.1910, a 2-8-2 Alco built in 1925 is Cuba's largest operating steam locomotive,
and is seen here crossing the Autopista (Cuba's main freeway)
with a load of cane bound for mill 440 Ifrain Alfonso.
The photo was taken from an incomplete road overpass,
which is just visible in the left of shot.
Ifrain Alfonso's other big 2-8-2 No.1850, a Baldwin of 1935 vintage,
struggles with a large train on the final climb before the mill.
With the sun already set, light fading fast, and the train down to walking pace,
this hand-held silhouette was just possible by bracing the camera against a tree
and using an exposure of 1/15th second at f1.4.
Due to its cobblestone streets and fine Spanish colonial architecture,
the township of Trinidad, like Old Havana, is on the list of UNESCO 'heritage cities'.
Some buildings around the town square have been renovated, and electric cabling has
been carefully disguised to restore an old world appearance to the area.
At some Cuban sugar mills parts from retired steam locomotives have been reused
in bizarre ways.
Left: the remains of an amazing steam to diesel conversion at mill 303 Australia.
Right: less remarkable, nevertheless this example at mill 424 Primero de Mayo
apparently utilises a steam locomotive cab and tender components.
A passenger train bound for Rodas pauses at the old timber station of Perseverancia,
adjacent to Primero de Mayo mill in Cienfuegos Province.
Diesel locomotive 61606 is a Russian type M62K, which were used in many countries;
the Cuban examples were delivered from Woroschilowgrad around 1974.
Most of this class have since been withdrawn.
The junction at Guareiras with its classic timber station,
level crossing and signal box on stilts.
The view at left was taken from the signal box seen in the other shot.
No.1820 is working a load of empties from mill 319 Rene Fraga.
Regardless of US sanctions against it, Cuba trades freely with many countries.
Canada has in recent years supplied the state-run railways
with new and second-hand locomotives such as this MX-624 (MLW built 1975/6),
seen bringing a trainload of export sugar to the docks at Matanzas.
The ageing motor vehicle on the right provides both a contrast and a reminder
of the days prior to 1959 when Cuba imported much machinery from America.
It is apparent from roadside posters like these that, despite reforms of recent years,
Cuba remains highly politicised.
Top: on the outskirts of Santa Clara "Che is with us".
Bottom: in Sancti Spiritus province
"With intelligence, perseverance and valor we will win this battle".
The 2 foot 6 inch gauge railway system that serves mill 635 Rafael Freyre
provides much interest, in primitive agricultural surrounds.
The hill overlooking Barjay village is widely known and regarded by many
as Cuba's best photo location for steam.
Ox carts provide transport of cut sugar cane to loading points
such as the one seen at right, at Uvillia on the Rafael Freyre system.
Oxen are used to power the 'acopio' which hoists cane into the railway trucks.
Excitement for villagers at Barjay as they greet the local railmotor service
- complete with cane wagon in tow!