Click here to return to the Cuba Sugar Mill Index Page

99% of visitors visit just 4 mills in this area, 503, 504, 515 and 522. Reports from other mills, even those which still use steam are few and far between and many references are to 1996 and may actually be earlier. There is a good general area map of Ciego covering these 4 mills in WS 120 and updated system maps in more recent editions.

501 Enrique José Varona Index

CRJ 107 reports no steam activity.

502 Ignacio Agramonte Index

CRJ 107 reports no steam activity.

503 Orlando Gonzáles Ramires Index

This is the most popular mill in the area for steam photographers. There is a LP just north of the mill but most attention is paid to the south line. This runs roadside to Cabrera where the line splits with a branch south-east to Portilla. The main line runs west with another branch south past another LP, beyond this the line splits with LPs north (Las Trozas) and south (Limones). The whole system is essentially H shaped with the mill in the top right corner. Apart from the roadside section near the mill which often sees trains in the late afternoon or around sunset, the attractions here are the Limones and Las Trozas areas where the railway runs through the middle of the villages. The only negative factor is that there is usually at least one diesel working the system between duties so careful enquiries have to be made at the shed. The shed itself was accessible some days but not others in 1997, presumably according to who was on duty. There is a map in WS 127 and WS 97/7

1563, 1732, 1736, 1836, 1837 in use

504 Ecuador Index

This is a mill which seems to get 100% availability out of it steam fleet every season. The mill lines divide neatly into 2. The line north from the mill eventually links with the system of mill 515 Ciro Redondo beyond the main east-west highway. There are LPs on branches to the east and west of this line. Locos are smokebox first on empties on these lines. The line south of the mill immediately swings east with a number of branches. It is easier to follow trains in this direction (smokebox first to the mill) but the long grass is a big problem for the photographers. Late new is that 1649 and 1817 were involved in a collision in late March. 1649 appears to be a write-off and 1817 will need at the very least lengthy repairs.

1564, 1649, 1817, 1821, 1904 in use (the latter 3 being the main line locos)

505 Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Index

In earlier years this mill was very popular with visitors but recently it has seen little steam activity except for shunting at the mill itself - usually with one of the larger less interesting locos. 1997 visitors reported the mill closed for renovation - due to reopen in December - with the cane was going to mill 508 República Dominicana by diesel. There is a map in WS 127

1838 in use including working to nearest LP.
1444, 1445, 1173 spare
1746, 1907 OOU, but said to be repairable
1174, 1567, 1744 dumped.

506 Bolivia Index

This mill used up to 4 fireless locos, 1169/1170/1171/1172 around the mill in 1996 and it is safe to assume they were in use again in 1997. Not very hospitable, possibly because the average gricers scream up in a cloud of dust grab their shots and race away before they can get gripped.....

507 Columbia Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

508 República Dominicana Index

CRJ 107 reports all steam dumped.

509 Argentina Index

CRJ 107 reports all steam probably scrapped.

510 Amancio Rodríguez Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

511 Brasil Index

This mill uses up to 5 fireless locos, 1250/1251/1368/1369/1370 around the mill and 2 were seen on a brief 1997 visit.

512 Uruguay Index

CRJ 107 reports no steam activity.

513 Sierra de Cubitas Index

CRJ 107 reports that the 2'6" gauge system has been removed and this mill now has a dieselised standard gauge system.

514 Haiti Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

515 Ciro Redondo Index

This is a big mill with an extremely large system with lines radiating in most directions from the mill. Apart from mill shunts which use at least one steam loco, little detail has been reported on steam activity here, most people visit the mill in passing. Undoubtedly most of the line working here is diesel.

1826, 1829, 1832, 1834 in use
There are other similar locos here (1827, 1828, 1830, 1831, 1833) and much interchange of parts to keep the running fleet going.

516 Alfredo Alvarez Mola Index

The IRS book reports 'Last Steam Transferred Away'.

517 Patria o Muerte Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

518 Máximo Gomez Index

CRJ 107 reports no steam activity

519 Cándido Gonzales Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

520 Noel Fernández Index

In March 1997 VIW 2-8-0 1658 (3104/1920) was running as a 2-8-0F minus its tender. The loco has a steam pipe jutting out near the front right hand side cylinder and couples up to the factory pipe after every full shunt of loaded wagons into the mill. This loco has a steam output varying from 120 down to around 80 psi at which point it goes for a charge. According to CRJ 107 similar loco 1664 was workable in 1996.

521 Siboney Index

CRJ 107 reports no steam activity

522 Venezuela Index

Lines run east and west here, generally the east lines are somewhat overgrown with grass. The west line has an attractive flat crossing with the FCC at Pita Jones and roadside sections further west, one line eventually linking with mill 503 Orlando Gonzáles Ramires, although the 'joint' LP did not seem to be worked by either of them this year. The mill area itself is not very accessible to visitors with the shed generally regarded as 'off limits'. However, the staff here are friendly and will generally try to help you locate locos on the line. Loaded trains tend to run back in the late morning and late afternoon. There is a map in WS 137.

1657, 1741, 1742, 1743, 1902 in use

523 Panama Index

The IRS book reports 'No Steam'.

524 Primero de Enero Index

The IRS book reports 'Last Steam Transferred Away'.

Click here to return to the Cuba Sugar Mill Index Page