The Dominican Republic
Central La Romana (CR)

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Central La Romana (CR)(117 km east of S.D.) : (March 12th-14th)

The estate was founded in 1911 by the South Puerto Rico Sugar Co., with the sugar cane initially barged overnight to Central Guanica in Puerto Rico. In 1917, the mill at La Romana was built by Honolulu Steel Works. In 1964-67 it was sold to the Gulf & Western Corporation, becoming their Romana Division. In 1984/85, G&W resold it to a group of local and foreign investors called the Central Romana Corporation Ltd., with the major partner the Miami-Cuban Fanjul brothers.

With a milling capacity of 16,000 tonnes/day (850,000 tonnes/year), CR is the largest mill in the D.R. Most of the sugar is exported to the U.S. under a quota system. The company has 25,000 employees. The standard gauge railway has 354 km of track (140 km of main line and 214 km of branch lines). There are two distinct networks which, however, connect at various points: the North/West network extends through Higüeral and Guayamate to El Seibo, while the East network extends to points south of Higüey. To gain access to the eastern network, the railway line crosses the Rio Mucarabon and the Rio Chavon on two large viaducts. Each network sees between two and four trains which depart the mill shortly after shift change (07.00 in the morning and 17.00 in the afternoon).

In 1923, the railway had an extent of 60 miles, with eleven steam locos (two 65-ton 2-8-0s and six 40-ton 2-8-0s by Baldwin, and one 40-ton and two 25-ton locos by H.K. Porter), 250 30-ton and 193 20-ton cane cars, 25 30-ton and 25 20-ton cane cars, four water tank cars, 32 ballast cars and four box cars. The following steam locos are known to have worked at CR:

• 2-8-0 9 (Baldwin 52074/1919);
• 2-8-0 10 (Baldwin 52705/1919)
• 2-6-2ST 11 (HKP 6578/1920), which is now plinthed on Av. Pedro Abreu (1 mile east of the mill towards San Pedro de Macoris), it is in good light for photography in the afternoon;

  

• 2-8-0 12 (Baldwin 58487/1925);
• 2-8-0 14 (Baldwin 59245/1926).

In 1962, one 35-ton steam loco was still on the roster. Since 1948, CR has built up a roster of GE 70-ton 600 h.p. Bo-Bo DEs. By 1978, 15 of these locos were in use, some bought new and others acquired used from U.S. shortline and industrial operators, together with 35 motor inspection trolleys, 900 cane cars and another 200 cars of various types.

With a single exception, the 19-locomotive roster is made up entirely of GE 70-tonners, all of which have been rebuilt with new Caterpillar engines and microprocessor controls, resulting in raised hoods. In detail they are:

• 15 (GE 29300 4/48, new); 
• 16 (GE 30389 11/49, new); 
• 17 (GE 32263 10/54, new); 
• 18 (GE 32264 11/54, new); 
• 19 (GE 32265 12/54, new); 
• 20 (GE 32686 1/57, new); 
• 21 (GE 33253 12/57, new); 
• 22 (GE 33254 12/57, new); 
• 23 (GE 33422 11/58, new); 
• 24 (GE 32682 11/56, ex Cherry River Boom & Lumber Co. 3, West Virginia); 
• 25 (GE 32278 12/54, ex Cherry River Boom & Lumber Co. 1, West Virginia); 
• 26 (GE 32282 6/55, ex Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern RR 403, Iowa); 
• 27 (GE 32299 6/55, ex Valdosta Southern 655, Georgia); 
• 28 (GE 30840 1/51, ex Mississippi & Skuna Valley RR 3, Mississippi); 
• 29 (GE 31165 9/51, ex Inspiration Consolidated Copper 21, Arizona); 
• 30 (GE 31164 9/51, ex Inspiration Consolidated Copper 20, Arizona); 
• 31 (Plymouth 6wDH); 
• 32 (GE 31723 12/52, ex Inspiration Consolidated Copper 19, Arizona); 
• 33 (GE, ex General Electric, Cleveland, Ohio); 

The single exception, Plymouth 6wDH No. 31, was said to be in use as a shunter at the mill, for which we did not gain access. During our 2½-days visit, we saw a total of 11 of the 18 70-tonners out on the line. On all locomotives which we could approach close-up and read the builder’s plates, the information of the above list.

Apart from sugar cane, CR also operates at least one daily oil tanker train from the port to Batey Higüeral (km 13.2 by road from the mill), where there is a large depot for farm vehicles. Just after the bridge east of La Romana, a short branch is used to supply the Casa de Campo Luxury Resort (owned by CR) with oil, ending just outside its gates. The junction at km 18.0 beyond Batey Higüeral is manned and the operator is a good source to find out where trains have gone/are headed.

A large part of the cane appears to still be cut by hand. Cane is brought to the loading points both by tractor-trailer trains and by oxen carts, while shunting is done mostly by oxen. The gantry cranes used to transship cane onto the railway were developed at La Romana early in the 20th century and has then spread all over Cuba. The mill gets 100% of its cane by rail.

Track gangs equipped with motor speeders are based at different points on the network, as are track maintenance machines. On the northern/western network there are such depots at Guaymate and Batey Lechugas, on the eastern network at Batey Cacata and EC 405. The railway also serves a quarry for ballast on the western line in the outskirts of La Romana (not far from where the steam locomotive is plinthed). Most of the track gang crews are Haitians, as are of course all of the field workers. We also saw one high-rail vehicle in use.

While some crews jokingly asked for money for refreshments, all railway employees were very friendly and ready to inform us of what was going on. On one occasion we were treated to a cab ride and given milkshake prepared on the engine, and the crew even tried to share their lunches with us.

Hotel River View, Calle Restauracion 17, La Romana (809-556-1181) is only a few blocks north of the mill and costs US$40/night including a light dinner and breakfast.