Cuba

Ok. I think all our regular contributors have made their views known.
Lets steer away from the political side and concentrate on the railroad/railway, and travel in Cuba.

How about some you tube videos of Cuban trains?

I did seriously contemplate a side trip to Cuba on my Central / south American trip back in the 90's. I had not made up my mind how I was going to get from Central America to South America by the time I got to Mexico City. Whilst there, i stayed in a Youth Hostel, Where there was a group staying from Cuba. While i did not converse with them much , I did learn that a return airfare From Mexico to Cuba was very cheap .
Since I wanted to see the rest of Central America, I did not take it further. By the time I got to Costa Rica, i had met a american girl traveling to Ecuador, and I "accidently" booked a ticket on the exact same flight as her to Quito . Imagine our suprise when we met at the airport!(Panama was out of bounds at this time).

Mr. Benton, the Moderator's wish is thy command: CUBAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS-Ciego de Avila: http://youtu.be/GeD4WkMh-U4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is a nice high definition video of the Hershey Electric railway.
http://youtu.be/P9TLheZ37eo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thanks for the photos of the Cuban trains, a first for me. freight car trucks on the home made passengerger cars. A de-motored Budd car (maybe.) Another video shows diesels with pilots that resemble snow plows, (they iare anticipating climate change, I guess.). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_6Oh83Eic0Plus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Also some better looking rolling stock. Some of the wooden cat poles could use a little straightening.
I Googled "Cuba libre" but alli could find was a drink.
A little Cuban steam. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVs2IAuhtpQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh3DjT2ckHI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

David Benton wrote: Imagine our suprise when we met at the airport!.

Mrs. Benton by any chance?

Here are three videos at You Tube that give a good "feel" of rail travel in Cuba. Sleepers and Diners appear non-existent. It appears that shown is by way of Mexico; one of the cars has the lettering of FCM underneath the FC stencils:

http://youtu.be/9e9MHTIwYVA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://youtu.be/2VAtS8o6bSM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://youtu.be/MXnZBgpm-0Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess riding the rails down there does not belong to one who on Amtrak has little if any reason to walk beyond the Diner.

philipmartin wrote:

David Benton wrote: Imagine our suprise when we met at the airport!.

Mrs. Benton by any chance?

No, Philip, I think the surprise was too much for her.

David Benton wrote: No, Philip, I think the surprise was too much for her.

Faint, did she?

I don't think ladies faint these days. They have already seen it all on you tube.

Cuba makes the destination for 2015 list .
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/ar ... d=11378330" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See Cuba before it changes! Is it going to get better or worse? The last few days I've been immersed in Cuba, for example, with two of the good videos Mr Norman posted so far, although not Havana. It looks like any other impoverished place In this world, although with palm trees. Queens, NY, is another run down place.
If I don't see Cuba before it changes, there will be no shortage of other impoverished places to see.
Mr Norman's visit to Salzburg was more the ticket.

Vacations by rail offers Cuba Cruise.
viewtopic.php?f=155&t=160910" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I don't see alot of rail content.

Cuba's old trains offer fine-grained look at country off the beaten track

"http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articl ... at-country"

Looks like they need PGC, postive goat control.

David Benton wrote: Looks like they need PGC, postive goat control.

David's agrarian outlook. Actually, the photo in the linked-to article shows some grazing goats, and says that the train, on the Hershey Line in Havana, slowed down to avoid hitting them. Here's the link again. http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articl ... at-country" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here's another look at the island on the Hershey line. Chocolate bars, anyone? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn7jEDz9Bew" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A National Geographic look at Cuba today.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magaz ... 1158526959" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Are those concrete ties I see supporting the rails in that video? I'd be surprised Cuba could afford them.