World of Steam: Cuba
Since 1959, lack of funds has given Cuba little scope
for infrastructure improvements. Steam power was eliminated from the mainlines in the
1950s, but the sugar mills, which proliferate on the island, were still big users of steam
locomotives at the time of the Castro revolution, and thus became frozen in a
"time warp".
The working museum looked set
to continue for some years, but this illusion was rudely shattered in late
2002, when the Cuban government announced that for economic reasons sugar
production was to be significantly scaled back.
This reduction has resulted in the elimination of
virtually all steam from the island except for tourist trains.
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Volume 22:
Cuba The Endgame
The programme features a snapshot of steam activity in the 2000 harvesting season.
We visit
the following mills, which illustrate the immense railway diversity for
which Cuba was famous:
|
Amistad Con Los Pueblos |
Maltiempo |
|
Australia |
Marcelo Salado |
|
Brasil |
Noel Fernandez |
|
Caracas |
Orlando Gonzalez Ramirez |
|
Ciro Redondo |
Osvaldo Sanchez |
|
Cuba Libre |
Pepito Tey |
|
Espartaco |
Rafael Freyre |
|
Gregorio Arlee Manalich |
Ramon Ponciano |
|
Hermanos Ameijeiras |
Simon Bolivar |
Cuba: The Endgame
runs for an hour and costs £18.
| Format |
DVD-R |
| Price |
£18, inc. p & p |
| Duration |
Approx. 60 minutes |
| TV system |
PAL/SECAM |
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Menu-indexed? |
Yes |
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One of Maltiempo's 2-8-0 Baldwins makes
light of its 80
years when heading a loaded train back to the mill.
No. 1732 (Alco 1916) shows off its green
livery at Ramirez mill.
Two of
Hermaños
Ameijeiras mill's Baldwins head home at sunset.
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