Hershey Electric Railway

The Hershey train is currently the only electrified railway line on Cuba. It connects Havana with Matanzas. It is named after the Hershey Chocolate Corporation of Pennsylvania who built the track for the operation of its sugar mills and operation. It is one of the few remaining Inter Urbans in America.

History

1916 bought the Hershey Company large estates east of Havana. Between the capital (45 km east ) and Matanzas they built the large sugar mill Central Hershey. For the transport of products and workers a 135 km long railway network was created which was electrified in 1919. In January 1922, the people operating between Matanzas and the sugar mill started rolling stock of General Electric and JG Brill Company.

Route

Starting point in Havana is the Casablanca station on the eastern shore of the narrow access to the Bay of Havana. It is connected to the historic center of Havana by a ferry.

On the road east of the tourist coastal town guanabo is affected before the depot and maintenance workshop of the Hershey train in Camilo Cienfuegos is achieved, named after the eponymous hero of the revolution former sugar mill Central Hershey halfway between Havana and Matanzas near Santa Cruz del Norte

Current Situation

Only the passenger still takes place electrically imported from Spain railcars. May be the operation in the near future is completely converted to diesel vehicles. Current operator is Eléctrico Ferrocarril de Cuba ( FELCUBA ), headquartered in Havana.