The International Steam Pages


Former Sugar Mill Locomotives in Central Havana to November 2015

The original list came courtesy of David Greenfield, by the nature of things here, changes have occurred since compilation in early February 2009. Click here for Trevor Heath's photo report of restoration. 1403 and 1501 have now been moved to the harbour to join 1204 (Ray Gardiner's report, March 2011), Ray gave early 2011 additions and Mark Enderby (19th May 2011) reports on further musical chairs!

Christopher Horne was here in December 2011 and reports (17th December 2011) that 1204 is probably no longer a runner and that 1657 is 'back in the yard at Havana' although the intention is still to restore it.

Three more locomotives have been reported (21st May 2013) 

The following comment on the situation was posted by John Bennett on the Yahoo Cuban Railways Group (added 3rd May 2009):

"The original idea was to fence off the Capitolio site and charge visitors to enter. Locos would be restored under the public's gaze, so to speak, as a tourist attraction. Entry could be through a hole in the wall of the Partagas Cigar Factory next door i.e. visiting the locos could be a part of the visit to the cigar factory. A lot of locos were to be brought to the Capitolio. But some of the locos at the Capitolio are definitely to be taken elsewhere, now, starting with 1138 which was to leave shortly after the PTG tour concluded. Then 1657 which is wanted (in working order!) for a tourist train service to Cienfuegos. Then 1204 which along with 1112 is going to give rides along the waterfront tramway to a new shopping centre in a restored warehouse. The warehouse next to the one being restored as a shopping centre is / was rail connected and could house 20 locos. The track is still in place. It might become the Historian's railway museum...  The park at the station is too small to house all the locos scheduled to be brought to Havana."


Ken Livermore has supplied me a list based upon a November 2015 visit and it is clear that there has been considerable movement, sadly none of it involving live steam power! To make it easier to understand should further movements occur I have sorted the data by gauge and then number (or likely number) and not by location.

Arsenal Park

E1138

2-6-0 Tender

27.75 ins

Baldwin

33067

fenced round

Hav Waterfront

E1334

2-8-0 Tender

27.75 ins

Baldwin

53655

worksplate carried

Cristina Station

1220

2-8-0 Tender

2ft 6ins

Baldwin

35782

Cristina Station

1236

2-8-0 Tender

2ft 6ins

Baldwin

35459

Cristina Station

1322

2-8-0 Tender

2ft 6ins

Baldwin

23282

Cristina Station

1328

2-8-0 Tender

2ft 6ins

Baldwin

42093

Derelict

Cristina Station

5

0-6-0 Saddle Tank

3ft 0ins 

Manning W

440

only UK loco

Cristina Station

1131

0-4-0 Fireless

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

43277

Hav Waterfront

1181

0-6-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

6456

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1306

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

38802

ex Capitol Site

Arsenal Park

1308

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

18371

fenced round

Cristina Station

1326

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

14436

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1347

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

52262

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1351

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

45070

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1357

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

33553

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1358

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

42136

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1365

2-8-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

57791

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

E1210 tbc

2-6-0 Tender

3ft 0ins 

Baldwin

40595

number rusted

Cristina Station

1

4-2-2 Tender

Standard

RKG

42

Inside Wire Cage

Cristina Station

4

0-4-2 Well Tank

Standard

Baldwin

prob 1112

Cristina Station

1101

0-6-0 Saddle Tank

Standard

Vulcan

1177

ex Arsenal

Arsenal Park

1122

0-4-0 Tank

Standard

Porter

4437

fenced round

Cristina Station

none

2-4-0 Tank

Standard

Henschel

tbc

Green - prob 1124

Cristina Station

none

0-4-0 Fireless

Standard

Baldwin

tbc

prob 1171

Cristina Station

1204

2-4-2 Tank

Standard

Rogers

5009

ex Waterfront

Arsenal Park

1205

0-4-4 Tank

Standard

Porter

3356

fenced round

Cristina Station

none

2-4-0 Tank

Standard

Henschel

tbc

Grey - prob 1207

Cristina Station

1302

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Alco

30235

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1303

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Alco

38900

Cristina Station

1311

2-6-2 Tank

Standard

Baldwin

24839

ex Arsenal

Cristina Station

1402

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Baldwin

52514

ex Capitol Site

Hav Waterfront

1403

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Rogers

4647

Cristina Station

1413

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Cooke

2114

ex Capitol Site

Hav Waterfront

1501

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Rogers

5000

rods down

Cristina Station

1502

2-8-0 Tender

Standard

Vulcan

3090

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1510

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Alco

44702

Cristina Station

1524

2-6-2 Tank

Standard

Porter

5741

Cristina Station

1550

2-8-0 Tender

Standard

tbc

tbc

Cristina Station

1555

4-6-0 Tender

Standard

Baldwin

50995

Cristina Station

1657

4-6-0 Tender

Standard

Alco

56018

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1702

2-8-0 Tender

Standard

Vulcan

2999

ex Capitol Site

Cristina Station

1707

2-6-0 Tender

Standard

Baldwin

53823

ex Capitol Site

Hav Capitol Site

none

2-8-0 Tender

red livery

tbc

prob 1816

Cristina Station

1904

2-8-0 Tender

Standard

Vulcan

3102

Cristina Station

none

2-8-0 Tender

Standard

tbc

tbc


Below is the previous list as updated to 2013.

Yard on corner of Dragones and Industria next to Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partegas behind Capitol Building.

This appears to be a resting place for old buses, lorries and locomotives from sugar mills in the heart of the city next to a major tourist attraction. Most are more or less derelict. The compound is fenced off and there is an attendant who uses the cab of number 1307 which doesn’t appear to be on the site. He’ll charge you one convertible peso. The local police also take an interest in foreigners wandering around although they did not prevent photography.

Mark Enderby reports (19th May 2011) that there have been significant changes here, I have divided the list of locos observed here into several parts as a result.

1. Originally reported stock, still present.

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wh. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

10 (1347)

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

52262

1919

Osvaldo Sanchez 210

1172

Std Gauge

Orenstein and Koppel

0-4-0F

5083

1912

Bolivia

506

1302

Std Gauge

Alco

2-6-0

30235

1904

Eduardo Lavandero

103

1306

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

38802

1912

Gregorio Manalich

207

E1334

27Ύ”

Baldwin

2-8-0

53655

1927

Obdulio Morales

418

1351

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

45070

1917

Gregorio Manalich

207

2. 2011 additions (by March, reported by Ray Gardiner)

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wh. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

1124

Std Gauge

Henschel

2-4-0T

12445

1912

Julio Reyes Cairo

321

1207

Std Gauge

Henschel

2-4-0T

11677

1912

Ruben Villena

211

1357 30” Baldwin 2-8-0 33553 1909 Pepito Tey 443
1358 30” Baldwin 2-8-0 42136 1915 Pepito Tey 443
1402 Std Gauge Baldwin 2-6-0 52514 1918

Gregorio Manalich

207

1702 Std Gauge Vulcan Iron Works 2-8-0 2999 1818

Amistad Con los Pueblos

201

3. 2011 additions (by May, reported by Mark Enderby) - I have been variously given 1180 and 1181 as being here but I have a picture of 1180 at work at home at Rafael Freyre in May 2010...

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wh. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

1131

30”

Baldwin

0-4-0F

43277

1916

Espartaco

413

1181

30”

Baldwin

0-6-0

6456

1882

Rafael Freyre

635

1326

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

14436

1895

Espartaco

413

1365

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

57791

1924

Gregorio Manalich

207

1413

Std Gauge

Cooke

2-6-0

2114

1891

Jesus Rabi

314

1502

Std Gauge

Vulcan Iron Works

2-8-0

3090

1920

Ruben Villena

211

1707

Std Gauge

Baldwin

2-6-0

53823

1920

Amistad Con los Pueblos

201

4. Loco previously reported here, not present in May 2011 but back by December 2011  - see John Bennett's note in the introduction:

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wh. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

1657

Std Gauge

Alco

4-6-0

56018

1916

Venezuela

522

Plus cab from 1307 30” gauge Baldwin 2-8-0

Park behind the Arsenal on Egido (opposite Central Railway Station)

This site is also highly visible and is in fact a park although it has been fenced off. The Porter 0-4-4T has been externally restored but has lost its identifying number. Access appears to be possible into the park possibly via the Arsenal 

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wheel. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

(1205)

Std Gauge

Porter

0-4-4T

3356

1905

Manuel Isla Perez

206

1308

30”

Baldwin

2-8-0

18371

1900

Gregorio Manalich

207

1311

Std Gauge

Baldwin

2-6-2T

24839

1904

Ruben Villena

211

Mark Enderby reports (19th May 2011) that the following are now also present here:

1112 Std Gauge Baldwin 0-4-2T 4502 1878 Ruben Villena 211

1122

Std Gauge

Porter

0-4-0T

4437

1909

Jose Smith Comas

315

1138

27Ύ”

Baldwin

2-6-0

33067

1908

Simon Bolivar

448

Trevor Heath gave me access (21st May 2013) to a set of pictures taken in April 2013, the following locos are shown and although they were reported by Clive Hepworth on this site earlier, it seems I forgot to update this page also. No identification is apparent on 1101 although it is with a tender showing that number:

1101 Std Gauge Vulcan 0-6-0ST 1177 1907 Ruben Villena 211

1701

Std Gauge

Baldwin

2-8-0

53802

1920

Boris Coloma

212

1816 Std Gauge Alco 2-8-0 58516 1919 Eduardo Lavendero 103

Locomotives in the harbour area (1204 was active in early 2011 but not by December 2011).

1204 Std Gauge Rogers 2-4-2T 5009 1894 Osvaldo Sanchez 210

1403

Std Gauge

Rogers

2-6-0

4647

1892

Gregorio Manalich

207

1501

Std Gauge

Rogers

2-6-0

5000

1894

Pablo de la Torriente Brau

107

Ex MINAZ Locomotives National Railway Museum Christina (Corner of Arroya)

This is the former Ferrocarril del Oeste station in Christina about 800 yards west of the main railway station. It forms a neat museum which deserves to be better known. In addition to mainline locomotives including the Rogers, Ketchum and Gosvernors 4-2-2 La Junta, the oldest locomotive in Cuba it has a selection of ex-sugar mill locomotives. The gem of this collection is the Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST which has been restored from derelict condition at Gregorio Manalich Mill. The other MINAZ locomotives are stored outside and are starting to suffer from the weather although they have been externally restored (except for the Fireless locomotive). Mark Enderby reports that a derelict Baldwin narrow gauge 2-6-0 (11xx) is dumped on the far side of the station (added 19th May 2011).

MINAZ Number

Gauge

Maker

Wheel. Arrangement

Wks No

Date

Mill

Mill No

E1210

36”

Baldwin

2-6-0

40595

1913

Sandino

105

1303

Std Gauge

Alco

2-6-0

38900

1905

Amistad Con los Pueblos

201

1524

Std Gauge

Porter

2-6-2T

5741

1915

Rene Fraga

319

1510

Std Gauge

Alco

2-6-0

44702

1907

Boris Coloma

212

1904

Std Gauge

Vulcan Iron Works

2-8-0

3102

1920

Ecuador

504

(1171)

Std Gauge

Baldwin

0-4-0F

53100

1920

Bolivia

506

5

30”

Manning Wardle

0-6-0ST

440

1873

Manalich 

207


Rob Dickinson

Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk