Canadian Railroads > MLW M420B Monday

Even though BC Rail only rostered eight MLW M420B's (the only one built as B-units) there was plenty of variety among them. 

1)  As delivered scheme for 681-688 when built in June 1975 was two tone green as sported by 688, the last unit of the order at North Vancouver, BC 6-19-80.

2) BCR 683 was the only M420B to get this straight white line across the carbody in the two tone green scheme.  Location is MP 105 on April 6, 1985.  Not sure where MP 105 is but that was what I wrote down for location, anyone know what siding this is?

3)  BCR 684 in the two tone green with white stripes.  All but two M420B's got this scheme.  Note the window for hostling purposes as well as class lights for a locomotive that probably never led a train.  Mons, BC 6-20-82.

Include the red white and blue schemes, plenty of variety.  Eventually 5 of the 8 were wrecked in two separate accidents, one in 1994 and the other 1996.  Remaining three eventually found new homes after they were retired..  Anyone know when those last three (681, 683, 685) were oficially retired?
Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA  .

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Mile 105 is a mile south of Creekside, looks like you were at Creekside judging by the tracks in the image.
Doug

Interesting compare and contrast.
t4p.

Thanks, that works for me.  I'll change my notes to show as Creekside.
Brian

hoggerdoug Wrote:
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> Mile 105 is a mile south of Creekside, looks like
> you were at Creekside judging by the tracks in the
> image.
> Doug

The last 3 were sold to the Hudson Bay Railway of Manitoba, and one of the wrecks were sold to Doyle McCormack in Oregon for the prime mover which now is the beating heart of Nickle Plate Railway PA-1 #190

It looks like Hudson Bay aquired them in 1998 so I'll go with that year for when BCR retired the remaining M420B's.

Brian Ambrose

BrianA Wrote:
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> Even though BC Rail only rostered eight MLW
> M420B's (the only one built as B-units) there was
> plenty of variety among them. . . .
>  Eventually 5 of the 8 were wrecked in
> two separate accidents, one in 1994 and the other
> 1996.  Remaining three eventually found new homes
> after they were retired..  Anyone know when those
> last three (681, 683, 685) were oficially
> retired?

I don't have the retirement dates, but the disposition date for those three is November 1998, when 681 was sold to Carlton Trail Railway and 683 and 685 were sold to the Hudson Bay Railway, both OmniTrax operations.

The January 1994 wrecks (684, 686, 688) were retired in December 1995 and the October 1996 wrecks (682, 687) were retired in February 1997.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/20 03:28 by railsmith.