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The International Steam Pages |
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Sugar Mills in Cuba Part 2 |
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Click here to return to the Cuba Sugar Mill Index Page
In the area south-east of Havana are some of the more popular mills with visitors, particularly 207, 211 and above all 212. Mills 201 and 210 are also regularly visited. Considering the number of visitors they get, this area is still surprisingly security conscious as a whole. 201 Amistad con los Pueblos Index There are 4 known LPs. The one to the north west is near the Autopista junction for Guines, for this working locos are smokebox first on empties. To the east there is a LP very near the mill, the line then splits, one branch serves the LP near El Mamey (close to the next Autopista exit) and the other the LP at Rio Seco, adjacent to the FCC linea Sur. 1303 and 1707 were the patio locos with 1804 the regular loco for line working in 1997. At 12.00 on 26.2.97, 1507 had brought in a set of fulls from Osvaldo Sánchez and was waiting to return there with empties. At 18.00 just before the light failed, 1804 headed a long line of empties into Güines station with 1507 at the rear, clearly they had reversed at the FCC junction. It was clear that 1507 would alone take the train on to Osvaldo Sánchez, necessitating a second reversal. The operation was not due to be repeated the next day, presumably the mill was suffering a temporary failure. 1303, 1707, 1804 in use 202 Comandante Manuel Fajardo Index This mill is completely dieselised. 203 Hector Molino Riaño Index All operations are diesel. 204 Habana Libre Index All rail facilities have been removed and cane is delivered by road. 205 Camilo Cienfuegos Index This is the Hershey mill with electrics shunting the yard and diesels working the cane trains. 206 Manuel Isla Perez Index This mill has a justifiable reputation for being the least hospitable in the whole of Cuba. There is a triangular junction with the main line just east of FCC Palos. Bryan Acford has traced three copios. "One is adjacent to the main road beside the mill. It is probably shunted by the patio pilot or one of the line locos. There are two copios on the FCC line to the east, one is about 3 km west of Bermeja whilst one is on the line to Congreso which leaves the FCC at the east end of Bermeja station. Both of these would involve a long run on the FCC on a fairly main line. I also suspect that there is a LP to the west of Palos. This would give a nice am town shot of a load returning to the mill." There is a map in WS 97/6. 1603, 1708 working 207 Gregorio Arlee Manalich Index Historically this mill was rather inhospitable and although the atmosphere has now warmed considerably, the shed remains 'off limits'. This mill acts as the MINAZ provincial diesel depot for La Habana which means there are always several diesels present, although the hoppers are shunted by the mills standard gauge locos, usually 1402 but one lucky visitor at the end of January saw 1403, the.centenarian Porter at work. All cane lines are thought to be narrow gauge. There is one LP just south of the mill which is serviced regularly during the day. There is a main line which runs south beyond it which then turns west at Melena del Sur with at least 3 further LPs which can be reached from the main road. 1351 was immaculate presumably after overhaul. There is a map in WS 97/6. s.g. 1402, 1403 in use 208 Pablo Norièga Index This mill has a railway system linking a single LP to the mill. Unfortunately all traction is provided by a tractor. The connection to FCC has been removed. It has been reported that this is one of Cuba's research mills and has a very small production for test purposes. 210 Osvaldo Sanchez Index This is another mill where visitors are rarely made welcome. Centenarian 1204 works the mill, while 1507 services the LP just to the west of the mill and any inter-mill workings. On the narrow gauge the mill has two lines. One lengthy line runs to the south serving the LP at Los Mangos. This line used to be part of a significant network of railways. 1110 is dumped at what was the junction between the existing line and a branch which ran through Batey Nuevo. Another short line runs to the east serving two copios, this once went on to Cagiguas. There is a map in WS 97/6. s.g. 1204, 1507 in use 211 Rubén Martínez Villena Index In stark contrast to 1996, no restrictions were placed on photography around the patio, although the mill/shed itself remained out of bounds to early season visitors although later ones were even luckier. The mill has two LPs, one is situated immediately to the south of the mill, the other is at Fenix, about 1km north of Roble (where there is a flat crossing with the north lines of Mill 212). Although there is still a connection between the mill railway system and FCC adjacent to Aguacate station there is no evidence of this being used for cane trains. The nearer LP tended to be worked by 1411 or 1602 with 1605 on the longer haul. 1207 and 1311 were usually both at work on the patio. In the early part of the season the mill was not working and cane was being taken to mill 212. In April, a diesel was unusually seen on the Fenix working (reason unlnown). There is a map in WS 97/6. 1207, 1311, 1411, 1502 (ex Mill 108), 1605, 1702 (ex Mill 108) in use 212 Boris Luis Santa Coloma Index This is rightly one of the most popular standard gauge mills in Cuba since the mill is on a saddle between two hills and loaded trains have a steep approach to the mill. The line to the north connects with mill 211 at Roble where there is a flat crossing and attractive signal box. Most Boris trains have to reverse here to gain access to the line which runs west (and eventually connects with mill 201's system). In recent years this operation has been mainly diesel (with steam sometimes working the flatter outer section). On 4.3.97 1806 was found some 15km away north of the mill under the wires on the electrified Hershey system. Apparently mill 205 had suffered a failure and it was scheduled to work an 'Inter-Mill', but alas it had derailed itself in the process. The fulls were run back by the diesel. It was not clear how long these workings would continue. In recent years, the 'south' line at Boris (which actually runs mainly to the east) has been almost entirely steam worked. There are 5 LPs, of which three are cuchos, Bizcocho(1) (on a short branch), Esperanza(3) and Cantamona(5), the terminus and two acopios, Concordia (2) and Cayajabos(4). It is easily accessed by turning right in the centre of Madruga (east of the mill) and then turning left on the dirt track some distance before the level crossing (which is next to Bizcocho). The line is somewhat undulating and the scenery more attractive than average with palm trees and small hills although this means that clouds can be a problem for the photographer. Trains seem to work back from the far end at mid day and again in the late afternoon, with shorter working fitted in as required. The final ascent is particularly steep and if traffic is heavy trains may be split. There are maps in WS 98 and 131, also WS 97/6.. In mid-season there were persistent rumours that Porta's rebuilt 1816 "Red Devil" would be moved here from Sagua la Grande, but nobody has reported sighting it here. Eventually as reported in WS 97/7 it ended up at Marcelo Salado (Mill 428). The mill has a Stothert & Pitt steam crane which remains out of use. 213 Manuel Martínez Prieto Index This mill is completely dieselised. Click here to return to the Cuba Sugar Mill Index Page |
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Rob Dickinson
Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk