I think that Cuban officers have a little bit high prices but I also think that due the condition and exclusivity of these locomotives the laws of market are perfectly aplicable.
Try to purchase a classic car from Cuba, like a Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Pontiac...and offer for one of them their equivalent scrap value...or 10 times their scrap value...I doub't you will not have any chance to purchase it.
To purchase a narrow gauge locomotive from China is more or less 400.000 USD and from DLM in Switzerland is an astonishing number of 3-4 MIo USD, so that Cuban locomotives have an added value, not only their metal value. They are the only oportunity to purchase a classic american locomotive in the world.
Cubans know that, althought they are latins (as me, as spaniard) they are not stupids at all and they protected their steam locomotive roster as far as they can. In two classes, those belonging to national heritage and those not scrappable at disposal to sell to foreign countries in order to mantain alive the rest of steam roster remaining in Cuba.
They will sold locomotives to their prices and they're not disposed to sold anything in equivalent scrap value because this is not the case at all.
No considerations are done to politics and I don't want to do.
I read prices of 5000 USD, it doesn't cover the truckage cost in transport one sole locomotive from its mill to Havana harbour.
My question: DOes anyone knows any other place in the world to purchase such locomotives?
Best wishes,
Manuel