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CUBA ANNOUNCES SUGAR PLANTATION CLOSURES
The Cuban government has just announced in October 2002 that they have closed 71 sugar plantations. This means that the number of operating sugar plantations has just dropped from 156 to only 85. The 71 closed mills will NEVER REOPEN. In fact Castro has already ordered many of the mills to be cut up and tracks to be pulled up. The next sugar cane harvest starting in December 2002 and ending in April 2003 will only have 85 operating mills. Now for the real shocker......Also the Cuban government has announced that sometime after April 2003 another 50 SUGAR MILLS will be closed. By the middle of 2003 this will only leave some 35 sugar plantations and mills in operation.
NEXT SUGAR CANE HARVEST......DECEMBER 2002 TO APRIL 2003 TO BE THE LAST WORKED BY AMERICAN STEAM POWER!!!! Railfans, it is official, the upcoming sugar cane harvest which runs December 2002 to April 2003 will be the last worked by the classic American built steam locomotives. Diesels will take over for the next harvest season 2003-2004. AMERICAN RAILFANS...IT IS NOW OR NEVER! Time has run out for American steam in Cuba. Don't miss the greatest operating collection of American steam in the World. Book now on our February 22 trip to Cuba. As of November 18, 2002 there are still 195 active steam locomotives on the roster in Cuba. For most this will be their last year in operation.
The trend of closing sugar plantations and mills will continue, as the sugar world market is at a all time low right now. Railfans around the world had hoped this end to steam was still years in the future, but that is not the case. The end to surgar plantation steam in Cuba is just around the corner.
SPECIAL ALERT FOR U.S. CITIZENS
It is NOT illegal for US citizens to visit Cuba. What is illegal is spending money while in Cuba. The only legal way for you to spend money in Cuba is by traveling with a Treasury Department licensed organization with a permit to take groups to Cuba. Trains Unlimited has a contract with just such an oranization. So any US citizen that books on our Cuban adventures are totally legal with the US government.
US citizens caught in violation of the "Trading with the Enemy Act" may be subject to criminal penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Since the events of 9-11, the US government has indicated that they will be strictly enforcing these rules. WHY RISK IT.....You can book on our "Cuban Rail Historian Adventure" and go to Cuba legally, directly and safely.
DIESELS START TO TAKE OVER THE SUGAR PLANTATIONS
With the conditions of the classic American steam locomotives in such poor shape as soon as the trade embargo is lifted Cuba will start ordering both new and used diesels for the National Railways of Cuba. Meanwhile the older diesels now on the mainline will be handed down to the sugar plantations.In fact this is already happening now. Cuba just bought used diesels from Mexico. Steam locomotives will be retired. Railfans, this painful fact is fast approaching us.
Already in just the past couple of years the Cuban government has put into service 570 diesel engines at sugar plantations and this number is growing every month. Each one of these diesels have caused a steam locomotive to be retired. The switch to diesel power at the Cuban sugar plantations has already started. Every year less steam locomotives will be in service in Cuba.
Our trip departing February 22 , 2003 will be your last chance to see the massive amounts of American in Cuba. By time the current travel restrictions are lifted for Americans all of the sugar plantation steam will be GONE! Book with Trains Unlimited, Tours and travel to Cuba legally before it is too late.
This will be a fact-finding mission to learn about the operations, maintenance and progress of the Cuban Railroad. We will focus on the sugar plantation operations and the workshops that keep these old classic American built steam locomotives in operation and that play such an important part to the Cuban sugar industry and the Cuban economy. We will also focus on the classic Hershey Cuban Electric Railroad with their American built Brill railcars and GE box cabs and of course the operations of the National Railways of Cuba. This entire experience will focus on the fact that the Cubans have been able to keep in daily operation, equipment built in the United States by Baldwin, Alco, Cooke, Rogers, Porter, Vulcan, GE and Brill.
Cuba is now placing orders for diesels from around the world including nearby Mexico and in time the old steam, built in America, will be retired. Time is running out for the American rail historians to be able to study and observe these wonderful machines in operation. The entire Cuban rail system and plantation lines are a time warp of American built technology and transportation from another era that will soon be lost forever. Cuba is the last stronghold of American built steam in the world.
Also railfans and rail historians will have the opportunity to learn and exchange priceless information and ideas on the railroad , transportation and sugar industry with Cuban workers that keep these industries in operation with old technology now lost to most of the world. Discussions, meetings and seminars will be held to learn as much as possible from the Cubans.
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