Hershey Electric Railway: Difference between revisions

Hershey Electric Railway
Hershey Electric Railway
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Ferrocarriles de Cuba
Locale	Havana and Matanzas Provinces, Cuba
Termini	Havana Casablanca railway station; 23°08′32″N 82°20′41″W / 23.1423°N 82.3448°W; Matanzas Versalles railway station; 23°03′08″N 81°34′27″W / 23.0521°N 81.5743°W;
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Operator(s)	Ferrocarriles de Cuba
Depot(s)	Hershey railway station
Rolling stock	Brill Interurban
History
Opened	1917 (Hershey railway station to Havana Casablanca railway station); 1918 (Hershey railway station to Matanzas Versalles railway station)
Technical
Number of tracks	Single
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 1,200 V DC

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Hershey Electric Railway

Legend

					Havana Casablanca station
					to and from Cojímar
					to Havana La Coubre
					Molina
					from Havana la Coubre
					Bahía
					Guanabacoa
					from Havana la Coubre
					Cuadra
					Elisa
					Bacuranao
					Tarará-Barrera
					Justiz
					Las Playas
					Corona
					Guanabo
					to Playas del Este
					La Lima
					Portilla
					Penas Altas
					Elio Llerena
					San Francisco
					Milto Padrón
					San Matías
					Río Blanco
					La Sierra
					Hershey (Camilo Cienfuegos)
					to and from Jaruco
					Paula
					San Mateo
					to Rubion-Caraballo
					Camagoira
					from Santa Cruz del Norte
					Jibacoa
					San Lorenzo
					Calderán
					Concuni
					Armenteros
					Avendanos
					Canasí
					Desquite
					San Juan
					Las Canadas
					San José
					Nano
					San Esteban
					San Adrian
					San Antonio
					Corral Nuevo
					San Miguel
					Margot
					Mena
					Los Mangos
					to Santa Clara
					Matanzas Versalles station

The Hershey Electric Railway, also known as the Hershey Railway, is a standard-gauge electric interurban railway that runs from Casablanca, Havana, to the city of Matanzas, approximately 92 kilometres (57 mi) to the east.^[1] There are a number of intermediate halts and a station and depot at the town of Camilo Cienfuegos, better known by its pre-revolutionary name of Hershey. The railway is the only surviving electric line in Cuba.^[2] The railway was built by The Hershey Company to transport sugar to the port of Havana. The original electric interurban cars were bought from the JG Brill Company, but these were replaced by 60-year old cars from the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya in the 1990s.^[3]^[4]

Overview

There are usually three trains per day, each way between Havana Casablanca and Matanzas, meeting at Hershey Station, the midpoint. The early morning and later afternoon trains allow commuters to go to work at the end-points, the mid-day provides supplementary service. The end-to-end time is approximately 3+1⁄2 hours. The service can be irregular and journeys may be truncated without prior notice.^[2] The main stops are at Guanabo, Hershey, San Mateo, Jibaco, Canasi, San Antonio and Matanzas, which have modest station buildings. There are also other stops with small platforms and there can be numerous intermediate halts at road crossings serviced on demand. There are four branches from the main line in current use, running to Playas del Este, Jaruco, Bainoa and Santa Cruz del Norte. There is local passenger service from Calle 7 Station in Hershey (near the maintenance facility) to San Antonio de Rio Blanco and Jaruco. There may also still be local passenger service from Hershey Station to Caraballo on the Bainoa branch. These are rarely used since 2000, but in the summer months, diesel hauled excursion trains run from Havana's La Coubre station to Playas del Este, a popular destination for city dwellers. In March 2012 there were 4 daily trains between Caraballo, Hershey and Playas del Este, having to reverse at Guanabo Jct. Other branches exist but have not been used in recent years. The branch to the Havana Club dark rum factory in Santa Cruz del Norte is no longer electrified and tank cars of molasses are delivered by diesel locomotives running out of Matanzas.

The maintenance facility is in Hershey, near the Callé 7 platforms, and the remains of the Hershey sugar refinery. Apparently one or more Brill cars are stored there for occasional tourist use, along with a GE steeple cab locomotive and a tower car to maintain the overhead catenary lines. Line voltage is 1200 volts DC. Ties are concrete, rails are jointed (not continuous/welded) and power poles wooden, usually on the south side. To minimize construction costs, the scenic roadbed tends to follow the contours of the land, with many curves to minimize grades. The line serves communities and regions roughly midway between the Carretera Central and coastal Via Blanca highways, between Havana and Matanzas. These areas would otherwise have no public transportation and poor road service.

When the Hershey line was constructed circa 1916, largely to support the Hershey sugar refinery, the main railway operator in Havana province, United Railways, refused to allow the Hershey train access to its tracks so a new terminus was built at Casablanca, which is across the harbour from Habana Vieja, connected by a ferry service.^[5]

After Hurricane Irma in September 2017, the railway suspended all its services until further notice. Only since spring 2018 have some trains been running again on the Hershey (Camilo Cienfuegos) - Jaruco branch. Due to increased tourism numbers, other Hershey lines are about to reopen. A reactivation study published in 2024 estimated that regular connections every two hours could be worthwhile and that the vehicle technology would allow for this.^[6]

References

^ Enoch, Marcus; Warren, James P; Valdés Rı́os, Humberto; Henrı́quez Menoyo, Enrique (January 2004). "The effect of economic restrictions on transport practices in Cuba" (PDF). Transport Policy. 11 (1): 67–76. doi:10.1016/S0967-070X(03)00054-4. S2CID 175387.
^ ^a ^b Ewing, Ed (21 February 2008). "Slow train across Cuba". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
^ Delgado Valdés, Elio (11 November 2012). "Cuba's only Electric Train, the Hershey". Havana Times. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
^ "World Update". Railway Age. 199 (6): 24. June 1998. ISSN 0033-8826.
^ Maller, Yury. "Hershey Electric Interurban Network". World Tram & Trolleybus Systems. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
^ Florian Wondratschek, Between Investment Risk and Economic Benefit: Potential Analysis for the Reactivation of the Hershey Railway in Cuba, Stuttgart: Transactions on Transport Sciences, doi:10.5507/tots.2024.007

External links

Media related to Hershey Electric Railway at Wikimedia Commons

Article and pictures about Hershey Railway Archived 2008-02-22 at the Wayback Machine

[1] Enoch, Marcus; Warren, James P; Valdés Rı́os, Humberto; Henrı́quez Menoyo, Enrique (January 2004). "The effect of economic restrictions on transport practices in Cuba" (PDF). Transport Policy. 11 (1): 67–76. doi:10.1016/S0967-070X(03)00054-4. S2CID 175387.

[guard01-2] Ewing, Ed (21 February 2008). "Slow train across Cuba". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2013.

[Havtime01-3] Delgado Valdés, Elio (11 November 2012). "Cuba's only Electric Train, the Hershey". Havana Times. Retrieved 27 March 2013.

[railage01-4] "World Update". Railway Age. 199 (6): 24. June 1998. ISSN 0033-8826.

[maller01-5] Maller, Yury. "Hershey Electric Interurban Network". World Tram & Trolleybus Systems. Retrieved 4 April 2013.

[6] Florian Wondratschek, Between Investment Risk and Economic Benefit: Potential Analysis for the Reactivation of the Hershey Railway in Cuba, Stuttgart: Transactions on Transport Sciences, doi:10.5507/tots.2024.007

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{stack begin}}
+{{Short description|Interurban railway in Cuba}}{{stack begin}}
 {{Infobox rail line
 | box_width   = 30em
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 | system      =
 | status      = Operational
-| locale      = [[Havana]] and [[Matanzas Province]]s,  [[Cuba]]
+| locale      = [[Havana]] and [[Matanzas Province]]s, [[Cuba]]
-| start       = {{rws|Havana Casablanca railway station}}<br>{{coord|23.1423|-82.3448|type:railwaystation_region:CU|display=inline|name=Havana Casablanca railway station}}
+| start       = {{rws|Havana Casablanca railway station}}<br />{{coord|23.1423|-82.3448|type:railwaystation_region:CU|display=inline|name=Havana Casablanca railway station}}
-| end         = {{rws|Matanzas Versalles railway station}}<br>{{coord|23.0521|-81.5743|type:railwaystation_region:CU|display=inline|name=Matanzas Versalles railway station}}
+| end         = {{rws|Matanzas Versalles railway station}}<br />{{coord|23.0521|-81.5743|type:railwaystation_region:CU|display=inline|name=Matanzas Versalles railway station}}
 | stations    =
 | routes      =
-| ridership   =
+| daily_ridership   =
-| open        = 1917 ({{rws|Hershey railway station}} to {{rws|Havana Casablanca railway station}}<br>1918 ({{rws|Hershey railway station}} to {{rws|Matanzas Versalles railway station}})
+| open        = 1917 ({{rws|Hershey railway station}} to {{rws|Havana Casablanca railway station}})<br />1918 ({{rws|Hershey railway station}} to {{rws|Matanzas Versalles railway station}})
 | close       =
 | owner       = [[Ferrocarriles de Cuba]]
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 | linelength  =
 | tracklength =
-| notrack     = Single
+| tracks      = [[Single-track railway|Single]]
-| gauge       = {{RailGauge|1435}}
+| gauge       = {{RailGauge|1435mm|allk=on}}
-| ogauge      =
+| old_gauge   =
 | minradius   =
 | racksystem  =
-| el          =
+| electrification          = {{1200 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
 | speed       =
 | elevation   =
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 | map         =
 | map_state   = collapsed
+}}
-}}{{Hershey Electric Railway}}
+{{Hershey Electric Railway}}
 {{stack end}}
-The '''Hershey Electric Railway''', also known as the Hershey Railway, is a standard-gauge electric railway that runs from the suburbs of [[Havana]], Cuba, to the town of [[Matanzas]], approximately {{convert|92|km|mi}} to the east.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Enoch|first=Marcus|coauthors=Warren, James P; Valdés Rı́os, Humberto;  Henrı́quez Menoyo, Enrique|title=The effect of economic restrictions on transport practices in Cuba|journal=Transport Policy|date=Januery 2004|volume=11|issue=1|pages=67–76|doi=10.1016/S0967-070X(03)00054-4|accessdate=4 April 2013}}</ref> There are a number of intermediate halts and a station and depot at the town of [[Camilo Cienfuegos, Mayabeque|Camilo Cienfuegos]], better known by its pre-revolutionary name of Hershey.  The railway is the only surviving electric line in Cuba.<ref name=guard01>{{cite news|last=Ewing|first=Ed|title=Slow train across Cuba|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/feb/21/cuba.railtravel|accessdate=27 March 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 February 2008}}</ref>  The railway was built by [[The Hershey Company]] to transport sugar to the port of Havana. The original electric interurban cars were bought from the [[J. G. Brill Company]], but these were replaced by cars from the [[Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya]] in the 1990s.<ref name=Havtime01>{{cite news|last=Delgado Valdés|first=Elio|title=Cuba’s only Electric Train, the Hershey|url=http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=81907|accessdate=27 March 2013|newspaper=Havana Times|date=11 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=railage01>{{cite journal|last=Staff|title=World Update|journal=Railway Age|date=June 1998|volume=199|issue=6|page=24|issn=00338826}}</ref>
+The '''Hershey Electric Railway''', also known as the Hershey Railway, is a standard-gauge electric interurban railway that runs from [[Casablanca, Havana|Casablanca]], [[Havana]], to the city of [[Matanzas]], approximately {{convert|92|km|mi}} to the east.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Enoch|first1=Marcus|last2=Warren|first2=James P|last3=Valdés Rı́os|first3=Humberto|last4=Henrı́quez Menoyo|first4=Enrique|title=The effect of economic restrictions on transport practices in Cuba|journal=Transport Policy|date=January 2004|volume=11|issue=1|pages=67–76|doi=10.1016/S0967-070X(03)00054-4|s2cid=175387 |url=http://oro.open.ac.uk/2531/1/Enoch_Warren_TP_11.pdf}}<!--|accessdate=4 April 2013--></ref> There are a number of intermediate halts and a station and depot at the town of [[Camilo Cienfuegos, Mayabeque|Camilo Cienfuegos]], better known by its pre-revolutionary name of Hershey.  The railway is the only surviving electric line in Cuba.<ref name=guard01>{{cite news|last=Ewing|first=Ed|title=Slow train across Cuba|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/21/cuba.railtravel|accessdate=27 March 2013|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=21 February 2008}}</ref>  The railway was built by [[The Hershey Company]] to transport sugar to the port of Havana. The original electric interurban cars were bought from the [[JG Brill Company]], but these were replaced by 60-year old cars from the [[Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya]] in the 1990s.<ref name=Havtime01>{{cite news|last=Delgado Valdés|first=Elio|title=Cuba's only Electric Train, the Hershey|url=http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=81907|accessdate=27 March 2013|newspaper=[[Havana Times]]|date=11 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=railage01>{{cite journal|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=World Update|journal=[[Railway Age]]|date=June 1998|volume=199|issue=6|page=24|issn=0033-8826}}</ref>
 ==Overview==
 [[File:Hershey Electric train at Havana Casablanca.jpg|thumb|left|Train waiting to depart at Havana Casablanca station]]
-There are usually four trains per day from Havana Casablanca to Matanzas, but the service is irregular and journeys may be truncated without prior notice.<ref name=guard01 />  The main stops are at Guanabo, Hershey, San Mateo, Jibaco and Matanzas, but there are numerous intermediate halts serviced on demand. There are four branches from the main line in current use, running to Playas del Este, Jaruco, Bainoa and Santa Cruz del Norte.  These are rarely used since 2000, but in the summer months, diesel hauled excursion trains run from Havana's La Coubre station to [[Habana del Este|Playas del Este]], a popular destination for city dwellers. Other branches exists but have not been used in recent years.  When the Hershey line was constructed, the main railway operator in Havana province, United Railways, refused to allow the Hershey train access to its tracks so a new terminus was built at Casablanca, which is across the harbour from [[Old Havana|Habana Vieja]], connected by a ferry service.<ref name=maller01>{{cite web|last=Maller|first=Yury|title=Hershey Electric Interurban Network|url=http://ymtram.mashke.org/cuba/hershey/descr_en.html|work=World Tram & Trolleybus Systems|accessdate=4 April 2013}}</ref>
+There are usually three trains per day, each way between Havana Casablanca and Matanzas, meeting at Hershey Station, the midpoint. The early morning and later afternoon trains allow commuters to go to work at the end-points, the mid-day provides supplementary service.  The end-to-end time is approximately {{frac|3|1|2}} hours.  The service can be irregular and journeys may be truncated without prior notice.<ref name=guard01 />  The main stops are at Guanabo, Hershey, San Mateo, Jibaco, Canasi, San Antonio and Matanzas, which have modest station buildings. There are also other stops with small platforms and there can be numerous intermediate halts at road crossings serviced on demand. There are four branches from the main line in current use, running to Playas del Este, Jaruco, Bainoa and Santa Cruz del Norte.  There is local passenger service from Calle 7 Station in Hershey (near the maintenance facility) to San Antonio de Rio Blanco and Jaruco.  There may also still be local passenger service from Hershey Station to Caraballo on the Bainoa branch. These are rarely used since 2000, but in the summer months, diesel hauled excursion trains run from Havana's La Coubre station to [[Habana del Este|Playas del Este]], a popular destination for city dwellers. In March 2012 there were 4 daily trains between Caraballo, Hershey and Playas del Este, having to reverse at Guanabo Jct. Other branches exist but have not been used in recent years.  The branch to the Havana Club dark rum factory in Santa Cruz del Norte is no longer electrified and tank cars of molasses are delivered by diesel locomotives running out of Matanzas.
+The maintenance facility is in Hershey, near the Callé 7 platforms, and the remains of the Hershey sugar refinery.  Apparently one or more Brill cars are stored there for occasional tourist use, along with a GE steeple cab locomotive and a tower car to maintain the overhead catenary lines. Line voltage is 1200 volts DC.  Ties are concrete, rails are jointed (not continuous/welded) and power poles wooden, usually on the south side.  To minimize construction costs, the scenic roadbed tends to follow the contours of the land, with many curves to minimize grades.  The line serves communities and regions roughly midway between the Carretera Central and coastal Via Blanca highways, between Havana and Matanzas.  These areas would otherwise have no public transportation and poor road service.
+When the Hershey line was constructed circa 1916, largely to support the Hershey sugar refinery, the main railway operator in Havana province, United Railways, refused to allow the Hershey train access to its tracks so a new terminus was built at Casablanca, which is across the harbour from [[Old Havana|Habana Vieja]], connected by a ferry service.<ref name=maller01>{{cite web|last=Maller|first=Yury|title=Hershey Electric Interurban Network|url=http://ymtram.mashke.org/cuba/hershey/descr_en.html|work=World Tram & Trolleybus Systems|accessdate=4 April 2013}}</ref>
+After [[Hurricane Irma]] in September 2017, the railway suspended all its services until further notice. Only since spring 2018 have some trains been running again on the Hershey (Camilo Cienfuegos) - Jaruco branch. Due to increased tourism numbers, other Hershey lines are about to reopen. A reactivation study published in 2024 estimated that regular connections every two hours could be worthwhile and that the vehicle technology would allow for this.<ref>{{citation|author=Florian Wondratschek |doi=10.5507/tots.2024.007 |number=Vol. 3/2024 |place=Stuttgart |publisher=Transactions on Transport Sciences |title=Between Investment Risk and Economic Benefit: Potential Analysis for the Reactivation of the Hershey Railway in Cuba|doi-access=free }}<!-- auto-translated from German by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
 ==See also==
 *[[Havana Suburban Railway]]
+*[[Havana#Tramway|Tramway in Havana]]
+*[[List of town tramway systems in North America]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 54: / Line 63: @@
 ==External links==
+{{Commons category-inline}}
-*[http://www.tramz.com/cu/hy/hy.html Article and pictures about Hershey Railway]
+*[http://www.tramz.com/cu/hy/hy.html Article and pictures about Hershey Railway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222164823/http://www.tramz.com/cu/hy/hy.html |date=2008-02-22 }}
 {{Public transport in Havana}}
+[[Category:Railway lines in Cuba]]
 [[Category:Standard gauge railways in Cuba]]
 [[Category:Public transport in Cuba]]
@@ Line 64: / Line 75: @@
 [[Category:Matanzas]]
 [[Category:Electric railways in Cuba]]
+[[Category:1200 V DC railway electrification]]
+[[Category:Sugar industry of Cuba]]
+[[Category:The Hershey Company]]
+[[Category:Sugar mill railways]]

v t e Public transport in Havana
Networks	MetroBus Suburban Railway (Hershey Electric Railway) Tramway (defunct)
Main structures	Central Station Omnibus Terminal Harbor Lighthouse Airports José Martí International Ciudad Libertad Playa Baracoa