The AP carried a rather interesting story that appeared in some local papers this morning about Cuban Steam Locomotives, their survival, and the high degree of care and affection lavished on them. Even though written by, I would assume, someone outside our fraternity, it is very insightful.<br>



Blevin@engr.psu.edu

Very interesting article: thanks for pointing us to it, Bennett.<p>Readers can access the text at least for the next few days at the included link.<br>



Cuban Steam AP article
eledbetter@rypn.org

I think a few insights escaped the AP writer, just as they do most railfan authors who have foamed over steam in Cuba, China, eastern Europe and other such places.<p>The principle insight being that survival of steam traction after the mid-1960's correlated almost perfectly with survival of Communist governments. India and the exceptionally-poor countries of Africa were exceptions for a while (but not apartheid South Africa). But after 1980, only in a society where capital formation was choked off, human labor valued at next to nothing, and laborers treated as the property of the state could steam locomotives survive.<p>This is one of the most important economic lessons to be gotten from observation of steam power, but none of the tourists seem inclined to reflect on how much more productive those poor Cubans would be if equipped with Diesel trucks or trains that would be provided in a free economy. It's one thing to slave away at cleaning out the tank or rolling tubes as a volunteer, but another thing entirely to have to do so because it's the only game in town and you'll be jailed as a "parasite" if you don't cut cane or fire on an engine that hasn't had a boiler inspection in 50 years.<p>Aarne H. Frobom<br>



froboma@mdot.state.mi.us

We might also note that the production of sugar has enslaved people for centuries, either economically or legally. American sugar growers and factories, which had at least a few labor laws to observe, quickly went on the skids when tariffs were lifted, allowing product grown by the desperate people of the third world into U.S. markets. It is sad to see those abandoned factories in Colorado where once Great Western was king.<br>



ryarger1@nycap.rr.com

My major correspondents with the Cuban situation are British and not American/Canadian, so they can offer a fresher perspective than anyone. They see the "communism" of Cuba as being a mockery of an economic situation, but nowhere near as repressive and destructive as American propaganda has ever made it out to be.<p>To their views (and we're talking Conservative, Liberal, and Scottish Nationalist Party members here), the major cause of the Cuban woes is the repressive American embargo, which is being ignored by more and more countries. Especially compared with all the buying and selling we do with an equally-repressive China, the Cuban embargo is a travesty that is routinely mocked in harsh terms by my Limey chums. They actually feel they're doing some good pumping British pounds into their economy in trade for photo runbys, charters, etc. As one says, "I can sit back and let Papa Castro let them think the whole world's against them, or I can win the citizens over to capitalism one five-pound note or dollar bill at a time."<p>If we can buy new steam locomotives from a state-run railroad shop in a country that represses religious expression with "disappearances" and guns down its citizens in Tianamen Square, then what stands in the way of us going down and trading obsolete GE 44-tonners and SW1's for historic steam locomotives? Oh, yes.... misguided political strategies.<p>With this, I openly call for American and British preservationists to begin preparing for one of two possibilities: Prepare to rush in with a day's notice and save steam locomotives and parts overnight if Cuba should wake up to find Castro dead; or prepare to defy and circumvent the misguided American political wrangling either directly or indirectly via third countries, and start accumulating spare diesels to trade with Cuba. Perhaps some branch of some organization (a page of Railswap.org? a branch of TRAIN/ARM?) should start co-ordinating these efforts now, hand in hand with international railway business consultants (will KCS go from Panama to Cuba?) <br>



LNER4472@gateway.net

I live in but do not represent the state that keeps sending Jesse Helms to work. Consider him just another historic artifact. Unfortunately, he does some damage in service. Our state is overrun as many are with emotional reactives who vote without brains engaged or understanding of larger than backyard issues - one reason Jim Bakker and his ilk have done so well in these parts. <p>I also frequently communicate with people from other countries who have been to Cuba and have nothing but praise for its developing tourist industry which is in fact helping develop an underground balck market capitalist system. Capitalism can only work when some capital exists to be traded. History will likely be much kinder to Nixon and Kissenger than we were - sure, domestic disasters but their opening China to capitalism led to the downfall of the communist empire within 25 years. Why not open Cubans to a better understanding of why it could work for them?<p>Enough soap box. We are a nation of posing moralists without a clue in some respects and we generally end up causoing nobody any trouble as a result but ourselves.<p>Dave<br>



lathro19@idt.net