The Hershey Company its Sugar Mill and Railways in Cuba

[samfp1943]

The concurrent Thread here by wanswheel is a fascinating story of the construction of the Cuba Railroad.   So as not to highjack that Thread, but to add to the story of Cuban railroad railroad development, the Story of the Hershey Company Sugar Operations and its transport on the Island need to be mentioned, as well.

IN 1916 The Hershey Chocolate Company bought large tracts of land and built a Sugar Mill approx 45 Km East of Havana and half way to the city of Matanzas. That location was Hershey, Cuba  (see map @ ) http://www.tramz.com/cu/hp/hpm.html

The following linked site  as stated  Covers Hershey, Cuba @

  http://repeatingislands.com/2015/05/06/hershey-cuba/

and this is a link to information on Central Hershey, Cuba @ http://www.wanfried.com/hersheyfan/cuba/hershey_cuba.html

Here is a link (with some photos of equipment) for the Hershey Electric Interurban Network @ http://ymtram.mashke.org/cuba/hershey/descr_en.html

 

[CMStPnP]

They have youtube videos on the more current Hershey railway or what is left of it.   

[wanswheel]

Excerpt from Electric Traction, January 1917

In the province of Matanzas, the Hershey interests have a 10,000 acre sugar plantation. The property is about 35 miles east of Havana along the northern coast and a few miles inward. The transportation facilities have been very poor but Mr. Hershey has had plans endorsed by the Cuban government for the right to build a new electric railway between Havana and Matanzas, a distance of about 56 miles. The new company is Compania de Ferrocarril Cubano de Hershey, or Hershey Cuban Railway. It will be a standard gage road with heavy rails, rock ballast and the best equipment. The Hershey Cuban Railway will start at Casa Blanca, the eastern side of Havana harbor and will run to the harbor of Matanzas. It will cut through a new country in a practically direct course, keeping well along the northern coast line and serving Campo Florida, San Francisco, San Matias, Jibacoa, Canasi and Corral Neuvo, some of which towns are without railroad facilities. The line will touch the Hershey sugar mills, so that it will be possible to load the sugar on the Hershey plantations and unload it from the same cars at the Hershey factory in Hershey.

It is expected that the Hershey Cuban Railway will do a large passenger and tourist business as it traverses the valley of Yumuri, which is called “Cuba's earthly paradise.” Near Matanzas are the famous caves of Bellamar which are a subterranean wonderland. Matanzas is the largest sugar exporting port of Cuba; last year 3,596,000 bags of sugar being supplied. The new railway will run through an undulating country somewhat similar to that traversed by the Hershey Transit Company system in Pennsylvania. All the surveys have been completed and actual construction work started. Mr. Hershey will push the whole proposition in his customary way, and this will mean the opening and modernizing of a new country without loss of time. The Hershey policy is to seek the utmost quality and to spare no expense, and the results are ever impressing and evident from the ballast of the track to the pleasing personality of the employes.

[daveklepper]

Nearly the entire system still operates, and the passenger equipment has been replaced by Post WWII mu equipment displaced by newer equipment from the Barcelona, Spain, Metro-suburban system.   I understand one original Brill car has been retained as tourist/hertage/railfan special car.

[Ottawan]

Had a great run last week from Hershey to Canasi, and took several km at the controls. Still 3 trains each way between Havana/Casablanca and Matanzas that met at Hershey/midpoint. Plus several local trains from Calle 7 in Hershey (near maintenance facility) to the south. Sadly the Hershey sugar plant closed several years ago as part of consolidation.

[Ottawan]

Sadly the Hershey railway it has been heavily damaged by Hurricane Irma in Fall 2017 and unlikely to ever run again as a historic/shoestring operation. Short industrial spurs could remain with diesel operations. An operation for cruise ships could run out of Havana/Casablanca with major investment. The sugar mill in Hershey was closed some years ago with the decline and rationalization of the cane sugar indusrty.

[ccltrains]

How did Hersey get his sugar to the US? Ships naturally but did he use the FEC overseas RR from Key West?

[Ottawan]

My understanding is the refined sugar was shipped from Hershey Cuba to the excellent harbour at Matanazas where tracks led to waterfront.  Once something is on a ship you usually take it as far as you can,  so I expect it would have gone to somehwere like Philadelphia or Baltimore to Hershey PA.  Now corn fructose is more widely used instead of sugar cane sucrose.  

[Dakguy201]

I think Ottawan has it right.  Once you have loaded a ship it makes sense to keep it there as far as possible.  I'm no rate authority but I doubt railroads are anywhere near competitive with shipping for bulk commodies.

[samfp1943]

IN 1950's America inposed an arms embargo on the Batista Regime in Cuba...In the early 1960's ( it imposed a trade embargo on Cuba and it's Castro Regime...Of Course, the Kennedy 'Bay of Pigs' did little to help the feelings between Cuba and USA.

 My guess is during the early 60's there was refined sugar in Cuba[ Hershey's Mill, was still operational(?)]. So the best guess is that it was routed to the nearest ocean freighter cvapable docks and sent to Russia, or one of its satelite countries'?. 

             They still made several harvests in the 1960's, but spare parts, and their availavility, were probably, major issues. Causing the Sugar Cane Refineries to be closed(?). I do seem to recall at the time Castro's Regime; made several attempts to harvest the cane with the populations moved out from the cities. There were Newsereels of cane being shipped out on what looked like ocean going ships(?) they seemed to be, at the time,  to be more propaganda, than news?  From Ottawan's comments, the Hershey Line is now, almost a third world amusement park?