Nostalgia & History > OTD: last run of a BCR GF6C electric powered train (?) ('84)

Here's one of the British Columbia Railway's GMD/ASEA GF6C motors @ Tumbler Ridge BC on Aug. 22, 1984 ... the photographer was Jim Claflin. Only 7 of these models were built.

One survived, #6001 and ended up on display @ Railway & Forestry Museum in Prince George, BC.
 
see 'hoggerdoug' posts further down .... my original post had the incorrect last run date ... according to Wikipedia "The last electric locomotives ran along the line on September 29, 2000"

Thanks to hoggerdoug for calling attention to the errors in my original post (and BCR_766 also)
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/18 09:50 by valmont.

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Nice....they had a clip of these in the Pentrax video best of 1985.....

valmont Wrote:
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> Here's one of the British Columbia Railway's
> GMD/ASEA GF6C motors @ Tumbler Ridge BC on Aug.
> 22, 1984 ... the photographer was Jim Claflin.
> Only 7 of these models were built and (according
> to wikivividly.com) the last electric powered
> loaded train ran on October 1, 2000.
> One survived, #6001 and ended up on display @
> Railway & Forestry Museum in Prince George, BC.
>
> Assuming the date of the last run is correct, then
> Jim's shot was taken on that last run day.

I'm confused with the dates, image taken August 22, 1984, therefore it can't be last electric train October 1, 2000.   Doug

hoggerdoug Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> valmont Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Here's one of the British Columbia Railway's
> > GMD/ASEA GF6C motors @ Tumbler Ridge BC on Aug.
> > 22, 1984 ... the photographer was Jim Claflin.
> > Only 7 of these models were built and
> (according
> > to wikivividly.com) the last electric powered
> > loaded train ran on October 1, 2000.
> > One survived, #6001 and ended up on display @
> > Railway & Forestry Museum in Prince George, BC.
> >
> > Assuming the date of the last run is correct,
> then
> > Jim's shot was taken on that last run day.
>
> I'm confused with the dates, image taken August
> 22, 1984, therefore it can't be last electric
> train October 1, 2000.   Doug

Sorry my mistake ... will make major revsion to my original post .... if someone has additional info about the final run date please post.
Thank you for calling this to my attention.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/18 09:25 by valmont.

They look fairly clean and newish..... seeing the pictures of them being taken down to Tacoma they were somewhat weathered and wore. I realize they were in storage for quite sometime before the transfer, but this photo doesnt resemble a "final run".

October 2000 sounds right as far as the last electric powered train on the Tumbler sub. The line shutdown for a period of time and I think there are diesel powered coal trains operating on a when needed basis.  Doug

hoggerdoug Wrote:
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> October 2000 sounds right as far as the last
> electric powered train on the Tumbler sub. The
> line shutdown for a period of time and I think
> there are diesel powered coal trains operating on
> a when needed basis.  Doug

Just found this on Wikipedia: The last electric locomotives ran along the line on September 29, 2000
You're correct, thank you

I've often wondered something about the GF6C's.  They apparently used a standard SD40-2 underframe, trucks and motors, correct?  How did those motors handle double their standard power output?

~Joe P.
Hainesville, IL

TheApostleGreen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've often wondered something about the GF6C's. 
> They apparently used a standard SD40-2 underframe,
> trucks and motors, correct?  How did those motors
> handle double their standard power output?
>
> ~Joe P.
> Hainesville, IL

They had E88 traction motors,  current rating maximum continuous of 1042 amps per traction motor.  Not sure about the frame if it was an SD40 frame or not.  Doug

Why did this operation shut down?

seaboardc30-7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why did this operation shut down?

Price of coal tanked, and no contracts for coal delivery.  Also the cost of the electric operation was getting expensive for maintenance as well as the charge for electricity. It was all economics that mothballed the Tumbler sub coal branch.  I think there are a few trains operating again although all diesel operation.  Doug

TheApostleGreen Wrote:
 I've often wondered something about the GF6C's. They apparently used a standard SD40-2 underframe, trucks and motors, correct?  How did those motors handle double their standard power output?

hoggerdoug wrote:
They had E88 traction motors,  current rating maximum continuous of 1042 amps per traction motor.


Ah!  So, not the standard EMD DC motors of the day, then (D77.)  Thanks for the info!

~Joe P.
Hainesville, IL
 

The E88 motor used the same frame size as the D77 but had about a 2" longer distance armiture to axle which necessitated a specially modified HTC truck frame. The longer center distance allowed for a bigger gear ratio - these motors also had EMD's first design of roller support bearings.

I had the pleasure of spending 3 weeks in British Columbia in March 1984, one in Prince George wiring our instrumentation, and two near Tumbler Ridge, while we were doing the some of the acceptance testing of the GF6C's. We were prepared for extreme cold but it was no worse than in LaGrange that time of year as I recall. Still have the cold gear they gave us, wish it still fit me!

Dave