January–March 1997 • $5.00 / The Hershey Cuban Interurban: Past, Present and Future Hedlights CONTENTS The Magazine of Electric Railways Published since 1939 by the Electric Jan-Mar Railroaders’ Association, Inc.

Volume 59, Number 1–3 January-March, 1997 Columns Staff Editor and Art Director 3 Rail Transit News Sandy Campbell A roundup of rail transit activities in various cities reported by Frank S. Contributing Editors Miklos, E. L. Tennyson and J. McMahon. J. Church, Clive Foss, James N. J. Henwood, Jack May, 6 Rail Book Reviews J. McMahon, Frank S. Miklos, Allen Morrison, E. L. Tennyson James N. J. Henwood reviews Allen Morrison’s new book Latin American by Streetcar, with a generous sampling of photos supplied by the author. Electric Railroaders’ Association, Inc. Features E 8 The Hershey Cuban Interurban: National Headquarters Past, Present and Future Grand Central Terminal Clive Foss presents a lavishly photographed history of the Hershey New York City Cuban, the last old-style interurban in the western hemisphere. Mailing Address P.O. Box 3323, Grand Central Station On the Cover New York, NY 10163-3323 E-Mail 1924 Brill 3008 crossing a stream between Casa Blanca and Hershey. [email protected] Rebuilt for excursion service, 3008 has a unique paint scheme, standee windows and the novel name Trans Hershey. Subscriptions PHOTOGRAPH BY J. CHURCH Headlights is sent free to members of the E.R.A. Applications for (Below) Looking remarkably like a PE blimp, newly repainted 3018 E.R.A. membership are supplied stands ready to depart Hershey Shops for Jaruco in 1996. upon request. PHOTOGRAPH BY CLIVE FOSS Changes of Address Send address changes to the E.R.A. along with an old address label from a recent issue. Correspondence All inquiries regarding the activities of the E.R.A. should be directed to our New York headquarters.

Contributions Send all items for publication in Headlights to the editor. Manuscripts should be submitted on diskette, e-mailed to our Internet address, or typewritten. Photos, illustrations and maps are needed as well. Please send original negatives or slides when possible and include descriptions for each image along with your name and address.

© 1997 Electric Railroaders’ Association, Inc. All rights reserved. 062598 RAIL TRANSIT “temporarily” replaced They could proceed the only when the next red streetcars in 1985. flasher was visible after News the car ahead cleared. All After the flood waters switches in the flooded receded, MBTA crews section were thrown worked around the clock by hand, with MBTA to clean up the tunnels employees authorizing and stations so that cars to proceed. Cars service could be restored. were required to stop On Tuesday, October 22, at yellow flashing lights the Riverside line was outside each station reopened as and could then proceed far as Fenway Park. slowly into the platform. The first expansion of The regular signals were underground opera- gradually restored over tion did not take place a period of weeks except until Thursday, when for the section between service was restored the subway portals and between Park Street the Hynes/ICA station. and . On The signals there were so Friday, October 25, the badly damaged that they Common­wealth Avenue had to be replaced. FRANK S. MIKLOS line resumed through 1 LRV 3411 REPORTED BY FRANK S. MIKLOS, station. After inundat- service into the subway Regular Huntington E. L. TENNYSON (DALLAS), climbs the ing the Boylston Street as far as Government Avenue service to AND J. MCMAHON (TORONTO) ramp near subway, the flood waters Center, while Hunting- Heath Street was finally Fenway followed the tunnels into ton Avenue cars began restored on the after- Park where the Huntington Avenue operating between Lech- noon of December 7. It water from Heavy rains from one of subway with water mere and Northeastern­ may be months before the nearby the worst storms to hit reaching the mezzanine University. Through anything resembling Muddy River the Boston area in more at the Prudential Station. service on the Beacon normal operations are flowed into than 25 years flooded Street and Riverside restored throughout the the Green major portions of the Fortunately the weather lines was resumed on subway. In addition to Line subway, Green Line subway. did not affect the Orange, Sunday, October 27. The new signals, the escala- disrupting The severe northeaster Red or Blue Lines, but surface portion of the tors at Kenmore Square service and struck on October 21, most of the service on Huntington Avenue line also had to be replaced. causing 1996. Water from the the Green Line was was not restored until millions of Muddy River, which severely disrupted. Rail Sunday, November 10, There is always the risk dollars in parallels the Riverside shuttles were estab- and was operated only of a similar occurrence damages. line, over­flowed onto lished between Park as far as Brigham Circle. in the future. After a less Much of the rail right-of-way and Street and Lechmere, as Rail operation beyond serious storm struck the this may into the subway portal well as on the above- there to Heath Street was subway in the 1960s have been at Fenway Park (above). ground portions of the not resumed, prompting there was talk of install- avoided Within hours the subway Commonwealth Avenue fears among the riders ing flood gates at the through the was flooded with water and Beacon Street that the MBTA would Fenway Park portal to installation reaching as far as the lines. Connecting bus use the situation as an guard against a similar of flood Arlington Street station. transported passengers excuse to permanently disaster, but nothing ever gates. between the surface rail cut back the line. came of these plans. In Kenmore Square was lines and downtown light of the October flood especially hard hit with Boston. Rail opera- The floods caused severe it may be wise to pursue the platform area entire- tions were suspended damage to the signals these plans once again. ly submerged and water on Huntington Avenue and switch controls in covering the turnstiles because rail equipment the subway. Battery on the mezzanine level. now based at the Reser- powered red flashing NEW ORLEANS Water also reached the voir carhouse was isolat- lights were positioned Plans for the expansion mezzanine at the Hynes ed by the floods, while throughout the tunnels, and modernization of the Convention Center service was increased and cars were required New Orleans streetcar (formerly Auditorium) on the bus route that to stop at each one. system call for new or

HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 3 2 New rebuilt cars resembling peak hour trains. Almost placed weekday system end of the line. Higher Orleans the city’s vintage Perley 19,500 weekday passen- ridership at 30,000, with than expected rider- streetcar Thomas cars. Car 957 was gers were attracted 24,000 on Saturdays and ship has stimulated both 957, rebuilt returned to the city more initially to enjoy the 14,000 on Sundays, about commercial builders and to resemble than 20 years after it novelty of the new LRT 33% over estimates. property buyers. Since the city’s was retired from service. line, but ridership settled The 32 scheduled peak January, trains have run vintage Following an extensive down at the 15,500 level, cars are averaging 938 at peak capacity and Perley rebuilding, the retro car about 7% more than weekday passengers per transit station parking Thomas cars, made a test run outside estimated. About 10% car, about 15% heavier lots have overflowed. made a test the Carrolton depot on of the riders were new than the New York run outside January 5, 1995 (below). to transit, which served subway system. Early estimates proj- the Carrolton Betraying its appearance a modest income, ect nine million 1997 depot on of historical accuracy are transit dependent After a slow start, devel- passengers for the new January 5, PCC trucks and a clearly neighborhood. opers are finally getting DART light rail which 1995. Still visible opening for on track with Dallas’s will add three more lacking wheelchair accessibility. In January 1997, DART new rail line. The Morn- stations in May on the windows and opened the three- ing News reported that south end of the Blue paint, the car mile, 65 mile-per-hour the HBE Corporation Line. Part of the Blue is months DALLAS subway north along the plans to invest $150 Line is on old Texas Elec- away from In June 1996, Dallas Area North Central Freeway million in a new Adams tric Railway right-of-way service. Rapid Transit (DART) (US 75) to Mockingbird Mark Hotel, one of the where the Monroe Shops opened eleven miles of Lane, with three addi- most costly real estate are being refurbished light rail transit service tional miles of surface projects in downtown as a community center between downtown and elevated railway to Dallas in a decade. The at the Illinois Avenue Dallas and Oak Cliff West Lovers Lane and Park article indicated, “Offi- station. The annual cost on the Red Line and Oak Lane stations, serving cials of the St. Louis- of operation and main- Cliff South on the Blue a high-rise commer- based hotel company tenance is now estimated Line, with 20-minute cial area and Univer- wouldn’t be spending a at $16 million per year, service on each for 20 sity Park. About 10,000 dime on the deal if the about $1.75 per passen- hours per day, except for weekday passengers DART rail line didn’t ger, 33% below the cost ten-minute headways were projected, about run by the hotel’s front of DART bus service. on each line during half from parallel bus door.” Six other new peak periods. The 1996 lines and half new to development projects The northern extension schedule required 28 transit. Initial reports in are also in the works, through the subway is cars operating as 14 the Dallas Morning News primarily at the north served by the Red Line

RAYMOND L. FOLEY 4 HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 TORONTO Toronto’s newest order of subway cars entered service in March 1996. The cars which are designated as the T-1 class incorporate many new features, most notably doors that are a foot wider than the cars they replace. A byproduct of this is a reduction in seating capacity from 76 to 66. The wider doors take a few seconds longer to open and close — a factor that could affect sched- ules on a subway system with a large number of RUSSELL E. JACKSON stops. However, transit officials feel that faster loading and unloading to Red Line trains going through the wider doors downtown. The newly will compensate for this. established through Other features include between 69th Street and service uses a single track lower overhead grab 15th Street during the connection between the bars for standees and early morning hours of Green and Red Lines fold-up seats to provide 1 Car 1003, from West Oak Cliff. February 9th for clear- south of the Fort Totten space for wheelchairs. the first With this auspicious ance testing. station, which had been The air-conditioned cars of a new start, extensions of the built for non-revenue feature grey interiors generation Blue Line to Garland and WASHINGTON, movement of trains to with maroon seats and of cars for the Red Line to Rich- D.C. and from the car shops. doors. A durable fabric Philadel­ ardson are now getting A new rush hour upholstery on the seats phia’s under way. The Dallas service on the Green The through service is designed to resist Market- City Council has also Line between Green- is provided from 5:30 vandalism. Frankford approved extensions to belt and Farragut North a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and subway, the McKinney Avenue was begun on January from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 The 216 cars were built by Transit Authority’s 27. Prior to that date p.m., with trains operat- constructed by Bombar- Adtranz. vintage trolley line to commuters from stations ing every nine minutes dier in Thunder Bay. connect the new under- on that line had to trans- during those periods. They will replace cars ground City Place station, fer to Red Line trains at Downtown Green Line that were built in the to be completed in 1999 Fort Totten station for trains cannot stop at Fort 1960s for the opening of with the downtown West downtown Washington. Totten, so passengers the first section End transit terminal. traveling between points of the Bloor Street The northern segment on the Green Line to Red subway. E PHILADELPHIA of the Green Line was Line stations between The first of a new gener- opened in 1993, but Fort Totten and Whea- ation of cars for Philadel- the portion of that line ton must transfer at phia’s Market-Frankford between Fort Totten the Brookland-Catholic subway was delivered and U Street-Cardoza University station. The on January 25th. Built by is still under construc- number of passengers Adtranz, car 1003 (above) tion and not scheduled doing this is small in was followed three days for completion until comparison to those later by the arrival of car 1999. Because of this the who benefit from a one 1002. The two cars made service has been oper- seat ride to the center of their first trip on the line ated as a feeder route Washington.

HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 5 RAIL BOOKReviews

4 The street railway in Campinas, Brazil, closed in 1968. Four years later a repentant municipal government opened the Portugal Park tramway, a new line around a lake with four restored cars.

ALLEN MORRISON 2 Trinidad LATIN AMERICA BY STREETCAR The variety of streetcars was amazing. Almost half & Tobago by Allen Morrison the photographs come from old postcards, with the postage P. O. Box 443 remainder from rail enthusiasts, museums or archives, stamp New York, N.Y. 10113-0443 books and magazines, and in one case, from a postage showing the 11Gʺ x 8Iʺ hard cover, album format, 200 pp., $29.95 stamp (left). Captions provide details on locale, routes, first electric Printed by Bonde Press, New York, 1996 dates, owner, builder, gauge and system size. Repro- railway in duction is sharp and clear, and most shots include the West llen morrison has done it again! The passengers, pedestrians and street scenes. Indies, author of two previous studies on the tram- inaugurated ways of Brazil and Chile now offers this Morrison has included a brief but detailed history in 1895. A of Latin American tramways, with many specific facts, pictorial tour of Latin American urban transport. Latin America by a list of countries and cities covered, a two-page map Streetcar is arranged of these cities, and an eight-page bibliography of geographically: from sources, organized by country and city. Mexico, through Central America, the Caribbean All told, Latin America by Streetcar is an outstanding and around the conti- effort by the leading scholar of Latin American trac- nent. Depicted among tion. Unfortunately, it may be Morrison’s last book, the 193 photographs, as eye problems have made it difficult for him to most full-page, are 100 continue his studies. If so, we are all the losers, but of the 700 tramways that we still have this outstanding album to enjoy. Every once operated “south traction fan will want a copy. E of the border.” Of these, REVIEWED BY JAMES N. J. HENWOOD 63 were electric, 21 were animal-powered, seven used steam locomotives, and five used gasoline. Brill and other American builders predominated, but a surprising number of the cars were supplied by European firms, and a few were even built locally.

6 HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 GARY ALLEN, JOHN KIRCHNER COLLECTION, COURTESY JEFF MOREAU 1 A rare view of one of the former Los Angeles streetcars that carried workers between the nitrate mines of Pedro de Valdivia in northern Chile from 1964 until about 1975.

3 In the 1940s Compañía Nacional de Tranvías of Lima, Peru, purchased 20 streetcars second-hand from the Third Avenue Railway in New York. This one is arriving from Callao in 1964.

RAY DeGROOTE HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 7 ThePAST, PRESENTHershey & FUTURE Cuban Interurban

8 HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 Honey, I’m home! 1921 Brill steam-roof interurban 103 at Casa Blanca heading a train for Matanzas, typically composed of two passenger cars and one combine, on June 26, 1956. These cars have since been scrapped. PHOTO BY FOSTER PALMER

The Hershey Cuban Interurban One of the greatest treats an electric railroad fan can have PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE is a visit to the Hershey Cuban, the last old-style interurban in the western hemisphere. By Clive Foss

HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 9 he Hershey Cuban is the last old- electric locomotive will be ready to pull style interurban in the western out with a train of converted boxcars, as The Early Years hemisphere. Cars from the 1920s appealing as they sound. Even though Extinct. Baggage and mail 410 in Matanzas T station (1956). This and similar equipment are in regular revenue service still clatter they offer limited comfort, is along a 56-mile long line through open still spectacular. long gone. country with innumerable local stops, After skirting the houses of Casa Like New. 1924 Brill car 153 at Matanzas starting just outside and cen- Blanca, the train passes factories and a (1956). This is the original appearance of cars tering on the great sugar refinery built naval base before arriving at Molina still in service, then immaculately maintained by the Hershey Chocolate Company. Junction, where the electrified freight line by the Hershey Company. Busy branch lines that radiate out from branches off to the industrial suburb and port of Regla. Soon after, the mainline Cojímar Bound. 1922 Cincinnati car 212 at emerges into open country, following Casa Blanca about to leave for Cojímar on a long valley cut off from the sea by a 26 June 1956. These cars provided service on range of hills. The district is amazingly Hershey’s busiest suburban line, abandoned rural, though not far from the capital. in 1957. This is the only line Hershey ever Palms, fruit trees and dense vegeta- gave up; these cars have all been scrapped. tion are interrupted by cultivated fields,

FOSTER PALMER the plant add to the feeling of antiquity, but are very much alive and well. This article describes the line as it is today, on the eve of a major moderniza- tion. It is not complete, since obtaining information about is difficult due to the present state of relations between the island nation and the U.S., even though the Cubans themselves are extremely friendly and helpful. A ride on the Hershey Cuban starts at Casa Blanca, reached by a short ride from the historic district of Havana on a crowded ferry across the oily waters of the great harbor. In 1946 Casa Blanca was filled with bright-colored houses lining the hillside above the waterfront and numerous bars and shops. Both are long gone (private enterprise was virtu- FOSTER PALMER ally extinguished by the Castro regime) where these days it is possible to see great deal of pitching and swaying. But and the town is now pretty tattered, but oxen or horses pulling the plows, since somehow progress is made and finally, there is still an attractive square above Cuba suffers from a desperate shortage of after two hours, the impressive refinery the harbor and a nice climb up to the fuel. The train stops constantly (45 times of Hershey, belching black smoke in the statue of Christ on top of the hill. Rail- in the 56 miles to Matanzas), sometimes sugar harvest season (January to April) fans, who will be struck by the catenary seemingly in the middle of nowhere, comes into sight around a huge curve. At over the main street, will probably often by the side of a paved or dirt road. Hershey, trains coming from the opposite proceed directly to the small station (At Guanabo a 1G-mile non-electrified ends of the line meet, and those heading by the pier, where a ticket to Matanzas branch to Playas del Este turns off to for the branch to the coastal town of at the other end of the line costs 3.50 the northeast. During the summer three begin their journey. Cuban pesos ($3.50 U.S. at the official daily diesel-powered excursion trains Hershey is remarkable not so much exchange rate, but about 17¢ by the free carry bathers to the shore directly from for its station, the nerve center of opera- rate that is generally available). Check Cristina station in downtown Havana, tions, but for its huge yard, with row your ticket; some have seat numbers. reaching the Hershey mainline at Molina after row of electric tracks filled with If you are lucky, you will find a train Junction.) Because of the poor condition busy little steeple-cab engines pulling of two or three red vintage interurban of the track, the run takes four hours innumerable open-sided cane cars. As cars waiting to depart. If not, an ancient (if the train is on time) and there is a you skirt the yard, you may also get a

10 HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 in a 24-hour period, with careful plan- ning; but it would probably be best to take two days. Alternatively — and much easier and more comfortable — would be to cover the mainline in a specially rebuilt car, and visit the branch lines on a second day. In any case, the Hershey Cuban offers something that simply can’t be found anywhere else in the late twentieth century.

History and Operations The Hershey Chocolate Company was one of the great success stories of Amer- ican business. Starting from nothing, Milton Hershey built up an internation- ally renowned operation near his birth- place in southeastern Pennsylvania. The enterprise included not only the factory for the famous milk chocolate, but also a model company town (called Hershey) that offered a decent standard of living for the employees, and had its own street and interurban railway. The local dairy country provided enough milk, but as the company expanded rapidly in the first decades of this century, it needed a dependable source of sugar. The obvious FOSTER PALMER place to look was Cuba, which offered an view of some of the work equipment. lows laid out along straight streets with extremely favorable climate for Amer- Beyond Hershey, the line becomes broad sidewalks and lined with trees. ican investment. Hershey bought up more scenic. The lush tropical veg- The 1950s American cars parked in the several plantations between Havana etation is denser, settlements are more streets add to the general illusion of and Matanzas, eventually accumulating scattered and small lakes and streams stepping into a time machine. 60,000 acres of rich and well-located enliven the view. Scenery culminates in The two branch lines that leave land. In 1916, he built a large modern the splendid Yumur valley, one of the from the mill (officially Talleres station), sugar mill midway between the two beauty spots of the island, before the run to Jaruco (8 miles) and Caraballo (7 cities. To move the raw cane to his mill ride suddenly ends in a small station on miles). Both offer frequent service with and the refined products for shipping, the outskirts of Matanzas, an extremely a one-way trip taking about a half hour he needed dependable transport. Con- attractive colonial town. and culminating in a very rapid turn- sequently, the Hershey Cuban Railroad Visiting the whole system requires around. The Jaruco line uses converted Company was established on May 29, a long stop at Hershey, where branch ex-German diesel railcars that look 1916, to connect the sugar mill with line services start. Only one, a half-hour and feel remarkably like Pacific Electric the port of Santa Cruz del Norte, north ride to Santa Cruz del Norte, operates blimps, even to the Ohmer fare registers. of the refinery, and the seaport cities from the mainline station. The others This ride, too, is an experience, through of Havana and Matanzas. From there, begin at an unmarked track beside remote country with many stops in the company would be able to load its the sugar mill, a ten minute walk from small and seemingly isolated places. products directly onto ships that would the station, and just by the entrance to These trains are usually very crowded, carry them to the United States, and the shops and storage yards. These are since they operate for the workers in the ultimately to the chocolate factory in officially off limits, but a friendly guard mill. A foreigner will get many friendly Hershey. The first lines reached north might let you in. Alternatively, you can glances here. The Caraballo service, to Santa Cruz del Norte and south to inquire at the nearby headquarters of using a converted mainline coach, runs Bainoa, the junction with the mainline the railroad. Anyone who has time through open fields until it reaches the United Railways of Havana. They were should have a look at the town. The town, where it operates alongside the opened in September 1918. Hershey Company built it as a model houses facing the main street. A single This would have been enough for town for its workers in a completely car suffices for the light traffic on this most sugar operations, which in Cuba North American style. Instead of the line. The fares on the branch lines are 50 ran their own network of small steam typical Spanish-style stucco houses, Cuban cents (about 3¢ U.S.). Visiting the railways. Hershey in fact owned two Hershey is filled with wooden bunga- entire system could in theory be done other mills in the area, Rosario and San

HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 11 5 MI 10 MI 15 MI 20 MI 25 MI 30 MI 35 MI 40 MI 45 MI 50 MI 55 MI 60 MI

Inset Atlantic Ocean C U B A

ERA MAPS

Clive Foss, author Elizabeth Wahle, artist Sandy Campbell, designer Santa Cruz Playas del Este Hershey del Norte Guanabo Casa Blanca Cojimar Molina Junction Canasí San Juan (Enlace Cuadra) San Mateo Havana Matanzas Correderas Regla Caraballo

Jaruco

Bainoa Map of the Hershey Milian Cuban Interurban Rosario

LEGEND MAINLINE HERSHEY–SANTA CRUZ Electric passenger lines 56 miles. Opened from Hershey to Matanzas Four miles from Jibacoa, ten miles from Electric freight lines October 1921, and to Casa Blanca early 1922; Hershey. Opened September 1918. Six trains/ Non-electric lines electrification completed October 5, 1922. day between Jibacoa and Santa Cruz del Non-electric lines (status uncertain) Four trains/day, leaving Casa Blanca at 4:00 Norte. The scheduling is very complicated: mainline railroads a.m., 9:40 a.m., 2:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. (similar there is one direct run from Talleres to Santa Abandoned lines times for returns from Matanzas); running Cruz del Norte and two from Hershey station. time 4 hours. Running time: 36–39 minutes. From Santa Cruz del Norte, they usually make a round trip to Canas (on the mainline, east of Jibacoa Junction) before returning to Hershey.

12 HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 San Antonio 5 MI 10 MI 15 MI 20 MI 25 MI 30 MI 35 MI 40 MI 45 MI 50 MI 55 MI 60 MI

Inset Atlantic Ocean C U B A

Santa Cruz Playas del Este Hershey del Norte Guanabo Casa Blanca Cojimar Jibacoa Molina Junction Canasí San Juan (Enlace Cuadra) San Mateo Havana Matanzas Correderas Regla Caraballo

Jaruco

Bainoa

Milian

Rosario

BAINOA COJÍMAR PLAYAS DEL ESTE 11 miles from Talleres. Opened September 5 miles from Casa Blanca. Opened 1923, 1H miles from Guanabo. Officially this branch 1918. Seven trains/day to Caraballo, one abandoned May 1, 1957 is now part of the Cienfuegos division, but train/day between San Mateo and Caraballo JARUCO it is not electric and was never operated by and one train/day continuing to Bainoa. the Hershey line. Three seasonal trains a 8 miles from Talleres. Opened 1931.Ten trains/ There is also one early morning round trip day operate over it, running through from day. Running time: 30–34 minutes. scheduled between Guanabo and Caraballo Cristina station in Havana. (27 miles; running time 56–66 minutes). Mixed train no longer runs.

HEADLIGHTS • JANUARY–MARCH 1997 13 San Antonio