A day with 2'6'' gauge 2-8-0 number 1320 hauling sugar cane
| February 03, 2022 11:05AM |
Back in the early 1980s Karl Helft's "Rail Sudy Tours International" ran some outstanding rail tours to Cuba, and Karl sent some enticing photos as Christmas cards, such as this view of 2'6" gauge Baldwin 2-8-0 1345 taken in 1981. This engine looked about as close as one could get to Rio Grande 360 and 361.
For a variety of reasons I delayed going to Cuba until it was almost too late. I did finally sign up for a Cuba steam trip with Trains Unlimited in March 2002, with my primary interest seeing some of the narrow gauge lines still in operation.
Steam in Cuba was all about hauling sugar cane
Most of the steam power in Cuba was working on standard gauge lines, such as 2-6-0 1531 hauling cane for the "Jose Smith Comas" sugar mill
There were also still a number of narrow gauge lines in operation. My favorite was the "Mal Tiempo" 2'6" gauge operation, and our group spent a day here chasing and riding this line.
(to be continued)
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2022 06:17PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
For a variety of reasons I delayed going to Cuba until it was almost too late. I did finally sign up for a Cuba steam trip with Trains Unlimited in March 2002, with my primary interest seeing some of the narrow gauge lines still in operation.
Steam in Cuba was all about hauling sugar cane
Most of the steam power in Cuba was working on standard gauge lines, such as 2-6-0 1531 hauling cane for the "Jose Smith Comas" sugar mill
There were also still a number of narrow gauge lines in operation. My favorite was the "Mal Tiempo" 2'6" gauge operation, and our group spent a day here chasing and riding this line.
(to be continued)
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2022 06:17PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.