Canadian Railroads > BCR - Ten years gone

It's been ten years since CN "Leased" BC Rail and my favorite regional officially became a fallen flag. Here are a few images from back in the day (a couple may have been posted previously).

1) 8/1982, M6330 712 leads train 24 across the Fraiser River as it approaches the division point at Lillooet, BC.
2) Train #2 at Lillooet
3) The "School bus" train bringing kids to town for school from remote Seaton Portage. RS-18 #604 leads today....Also taken at Lillooet. (6/85)

Brian E



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/14 07:33 by m420.

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4) The operator at Exiter, BC hoops up orders for a southbound while train northbound train #23 holds the siding. Sept 1986. Train 23 was the hottest freight on the line carrying intermodal traffic north. Departure from North Vancouver was roughly midnight, and the train would be in Prince George late that afternoon.

5) A view from the cab of M630 719 at D'Arcy BC as the light power set for the "Pemberton Push" approaches. These unit will be cut into the train about 30 cars from the caboose and will help to push the southbound over two grades of 2.2% before being cut back out at a place called Mons. 1/85

6) Extra 751 North (note the flags) throttles out of the siding at Norlake BC (Williams Lake) following a meeting with a southbound train. 751 was the class unit for BCR's first group of GMD SD40-2's. It was severely damaged in a derailment and was nearly written off before the railway decided to rebuild it. 1988.

Brian E



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/14 07:33 by m420.

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Nice stuff, thanks for the memories. Hard to believe it's ten years, I suffered along for a few years after CN took over, it was not the same as working for BCR. Doug

Thanks for those great images-I was never able to make it to BC Rail before it changed hands, but enjoy having images like this to reflect on.
So was the "lease" by CN as far as the employees went like being on the Titanic? The change from being a part of something that mattered to becoming just an employee number?
I suffered through the Demise of Conrail, and now work for CSXT (Can Someone eXplain This?). The old heads that suffered through the PRR/NYC premeger days, the dark days of Penn Central and were around to see Conrail become a great railroad in the end had a lot of sentimental pride and felt like they were just tossed aside when NS and CSX came to divvy up the place.
I remember an old head conductor and I talking on a local. He was staring out the window and as we passed a mail train he said "You know, when I started here, we didn't even think there'd *be* a railroad in 5 years...now look at this place...it was tough, but, we made this happen!" HE was proud of his job, and his part in surviving the long dark days of bankrupcy...

Now i know BC Rail was sold for what appears to be a purely political vendetta by the Government...so I wonder, was the pill just as bitter to swallow? That feeling of no longer being a part of something unique and just becoming an employee to a giant company with no real vested interest? The former BC rail employees I've met (none of whom work for CN anymore) all have some pretty horrible things to say about the BC government and CN...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/14 11:24 by DrLoco.

DrLoco wrote "Now i know BC Rail was sold for what appears to be a purely political vendetta by the Government...so I wonder, was the pill just as bitter to swallow? That feeling of no longer being a part of something unique and just becoming an employee to a giant company with no real vested interest? The former BC rail employees I've met (none of whom work for CN anymore) all have some pretty horrible things to say about the BC government and CN..." enquote

No, the railway being sold to CN and as BC Rail employee having to work for CN was not a bitter pill to swallow, it was actually as comfortable as a never ending prostate examination and that truly is a unique experience.
Doug

A sign of the times.

As an ex-railroader and a long term BC resident, my bitterness is over the miscarriage of justice related to this whole affair.

Just to recap, BC Rail was a publicly owned Property, paid for by taxpayers.

You would think that in a Parliamentary Democracy, the BC Government would have consulted the electorate before making the decision to sell a public asset. I didn't happen. Some meetings were held in private with members of the business elite and a few civic leaders.

Next, as required with the sale of public assets, a bidding process was initiated, with considerable interest from other railways.

Somehow, information was leaked to the media that the auction was rigged so that CN would be the winner.

Two minor BC Government officials were arrested, and truckloads of documents were seized from the BC Premier's office by the RCMP.

Months and months of courtroom testimony followed, held behind closed doors. Finally, the two minions were convicted and the rest of the case dismissed, with literally tons of evidence sent to the shredder.

My question has always been, Why wasn't BC Rail taken off the market when it became known that the auction was rigged?

I lost alot of respect for the BC Legal system that chose not to carry out a thorough investigation. At most, such an investigation would have caused some embarrassment to the rich and famous of BC.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper instead rewarded BC Premier Gordon Campbell by making him Canadian High Commissioner to Britain, a huge political plum.

I live in hope that someone will write a political expose of the whole sordid affair.

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Wow 10 yrs already. Still a big mistake by the BC government which still here but different premiere

slgrad Wrote:
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> Wow 10 yrs already. Still a big mistake by the BC
> government which still here but different premiere


And now they are screwing up the ferry service!!

The government of BC claims to be "Liberal." It is actually just the same old Social Credit crowd in bad disguises.

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

I agree with the stunner it's been 10 years! Thank you sharing these photos on the anniversary.