Minaz Locomotive Numbering System

The Minaz numbering system was initiated in about 1974 and attempted (not always correctly) to allocate numbers according to nominal tractive effort, hence we have a snapshot of all locomotives existing (although they may already have been out of use) 6 years before the first visitor:

11xx less than 10 000 lbf

12xx 10 001 to 13 000 lbf

13xx 13 001 to 16 000 lbf

14xx 16 001 to 19 000 lbf

15xx 19 001 to 22 000 lbf

16xx 22 001 to 25 000 lbf

17xx 25 001 to 28 724 lbf

18xx 28 725 to 31 000 lbf

19xx more than 31 000 lbf

Within each band, locomotives were numbered geographically from west to east, regardless of wheel arrangement. If a locomotive appears apparently out of sequence the most likely explanation is that it has been transferred, generally this has been from east to west as the eastern mills have dispensed with steam more rapidly.

There were many cases of inconsistency, some locomotives are known to be have been renumbered while others never received them. For full details please refer to the 'Industrial Steam Locomotives of Cuba' compiled by Graham Leach, published by the Industrial Railway Society, ISBN 1 901556 03 4