Does anyone else model or know of any one who models Cuban Railways Past/Presnt?
After six visits to the country to spend a few weeks driving the old Alco and Baldwin 2-8-0’s I decided to start modelling them in HO, using RTR models as the basis for conversions.
I have not managed to get a layout built yet, but am concentration on building up a fleet of Locos/Rolling Stock that is either based on a particular type found in Cuba, or can ‘pass’ as a very similar type - bit of ‘modeller’s licence’ comes into play!
So far I have got three spectrum steam locos - a 2-8-0, a 4-6-0 and the 0-6-0ST, all mid conversion/repaint to Cuban Sugar cane Locos. A Spectrum GE44Ton diesel will soon be entering the paint shop to be outshopped as a Minaz locomotive, and a Proto Budd RDC1 will also be repainted and re modelled to resemble a F de C unit.
So if anyone does model Cuban - please get in contact and I would love to swap ideas!
You might want to check out one of the Yahoo groups, called “South of the Border”. Their group description is “A group devoted to sharing information on, and modelling the railways South of the USA border, in any scale/gauge combination. Includes railways in the areas ~ South America, Central America, Mexico and the Islands of the Caribbean, including Cuba…”
It doesn’t get a lot of traffic, but you might be able to get in touch with some other modelers there.
Unfortunately, due to the charmingly archaic belief that isolation from the US will have a greater political effect than having our tourists visit Cuba, it is somewhat risky due to the (somewhat vague and difficult to really enforce) US embargo, but not at all difficult to visit Cuba, via Canada, Bermuda, or Mexico. There are many enthusiasts of Cuban railways. An author who has written much on these fascinating prorotypes is Adolf Hungry Wolf.
I’ve met a number of people who have visited Cuba over the years and all note the warm, friendly reception of the Cuban people.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
There have been prototype and model articles in “Continental Modeller” magazine fairly recently, and there was an HO layout at the Warley exhibition in the mid 1990s. You may well be aware of these. The prototype magazine “Continental Railway Journal” often has updates on Cuba, often commenting on the industrial steam scene but often covering the national railways. The two magazines are not connected but both deal with the world rather than Europe as their names suggest… I hope this helps.
I don’t know what it is about Cuba that this country is so hell bent on keeping them on our _ _ _ _ list. We established relations with North Vietnam & that’s a country that’s cost us 50,000 U.S. lives. I guess we feel that Vietnam can be another outlet for cheap labor & outsourcing in the future.Cuba has been in a time warp since 1957. PBS has done some shows about the old cars & trains. most interesting the way the folks keep those antiques still running. Opps sorry guys,I didn’t mean for this to get political. Easter
CR- I bought the Pentrex tape Cuban Steam a few years back, and I agree with you that it is a great railfan spot, not to mention a fantastic place if you like pre-60s US autos.
If you do not have the tape, I would highly recommend it. I would imagine that you, having made 6 trips there, have plenty of prototype information, but there might be some things on the tape you don’t have. It was made in '95 IIRC, and focuses on sugar cane RRs.
How are you going to model all of that lush greenery? Cane fields, palms, etc, will be a big part of your future, from what the tape showed. it is so beautiful there. I sure would like to see what you end up doing in the way of a layout.
Thanks for all the replies! I know the whole ‘Cuba’ thing can create many a heated political debate in the States - so I appreciate any replies! Anyway we are not here to discuss politics - despite the UK building up to an election!
Really is a shame more of you from the states can not get to Cuba - it really is the best American Railroad Museum! The Hershey line is spectacular - classic 1930’s US Electric Short line operation, and some of the Steam Locos in the Minaz Fleet are over 100 years old and still going strong.
The national railway service still has a load of 1950’s General Motors GM G8U4 export models in service - very reliable and popular with both fitters and drivers alike. Does anyone know is any model companies makes a model of this loco in HO scale - or perhaps of the home used GM model rather than the export version?
The only current model of the G8 is made in Brazil by Frateschi (who have a good web site), but this is nothing like a scale model, being over height and more like a British OO scale model than an HO model. The justification for this was that the prototype was mainly used on metre gauge.
There were brass HO models made of Australian G8s, which had a longer frame resulting in a small platform at the rear of the long hood not on US or Canadian built units. These were to scale, however.
There was no domestic US equivalent of this unit, only end cab switchers being built in this power range.
I DO. Have been for 15 years. I live in Calif. Never got to Cuba, but I’ve collected 7 videos, 1 CD and three books on the subject as well as info from Rob Dickinson’s International Steam Pages: http://www.steam.dial.pipex.com/internat.htm
I’d send you a photo or two but I just discovered your " ? "on this site tonight and haven’t found all the buttons. You can e-mail back to me direct if you want to: j.petropulos@worldnet.att.net
Viva Vapor!
There are plastic RTR models of G-8s currently on the market here in Australia from at least 3 manufacturers. They could be kitbashed to represent Cuban G-8s.