Re: Cuban Steam Havest last season?

Just got back from Cuba a week ago from a Pacific Locomotive Association trip to see what little remained under steam; considering how fast steam is disappearing, glad we went when we did! A note on CAI Manalich; when we were there two weeks ago there was a standard gauge 2-6-0 switching sugar hoppers at the mill, and 4 (FOUR!) 30" gauge 2-8-0s in operation hauling cane from the fields and pushing the cane cars into the mill to be dumped. In addition, one of the workers had his restored 15" gauge 2-4-0 "Volcano" park engine steamed up on coal right alongside the 30" gauge line with his 9 year old son running it. (All other Cuban steam locomotives burn oil.) Although we saw 14 steam locomotives running altogether, 10 of which were hauling cane and 4 "preserved for charters", that was our best day there.
Chris H.