Cuban Narrow Gauge - Obdulio Moralest Mill.

Scenes recorded on a 2003 tour of Cuban sugar mill railways which could still boast steam traction. The majority of the clips taken here at CAI Obdulio Maralest were based around a private charter as most field work was then in the hands of Diesels. The mill's system used the odd gauge of 2ft 7.5 inches. The day was broken into two as our loco ran short of water many miles from base and so departed for a top up leaving us out in the cane fields for two hours. A regular feature of these operations was the 'hot box', one seen here so hot that it set on fire ... luckily the flames didn't engulf the cane!

[@2010jfin]

Great stuff gotta love Cuba for this reason along. Time stopped for them 50 years ago.

[@christopherlovelock9104]

Jeff F. .. Yes, it was rather like going into a time-warp, alas now they and all the others are stopped for good. Excluding 'tourist' lines of course, but whilst some are former, (or parts of), sugar cane lines, I don't think any actually carry sugar cane. Excluding Australia but then that is all diesel.

[@eliany14]

Omg this is my hometown, is so weird I use to see this train every day it runned across my little town and in front of my school, wow great memories

[@NJPurling]

What is 2ft 7.5 inches in cm & mm? It is rather odd for a mill to order locomotives of a unique gauge. You would think it would make sense to go for a gauge a maker of locomotives or rolling stock could supply quickly, such as 3ft or metre gauge.
There was at least one std gauge sugar cane line. Most of the locomotives are American in origin but I have no idea what was the prevailing narrow gauge choice on Cuba.

[@PetervanderEls]

0,8m gauge, is indeed not so 'standard' narrow gauge. Allthoug there are exampes: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800_mm_gauge_railways Cuba is however not mentioned.

[@dang25272549]

Sometimes tracks are barely visible.

[@eleon96218]

Ese carro no se debe circular, hay que atenderlo y luego se lleva a su destino, eso puede provocar fuego en las vías y en todo el tramo por el que se arrastre

[@raymondleggs5508]

Why not just the standard 2ft gauge or just 3ft gauge?

[@eleon96218]

Uno de los carros lleva bronce caliente