International Railroad Discussion > mundo: BC Rail MLW's in Mexico

British Columbia Railway was once a major user of locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works, Alco's Canadian licensee.  However, the railroad bought its last new MLW in 1975, ten years before production at Montreal ceased, and began contaminating its roster with new and used SD40-2's instead.  In 1990-91, the road now calling itself BC Rail turned to GE for new road power, and traded-in most of its 6-axle MLW fleet as credit.  GE in turn resold many of the units two borders to the south, to Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico.  FNM relettered the units but put them to work in their old colors, either BCR two-tone green or BC Rail red white and blue.  They didn't last long - the privitization of Mexico's national railway in 1998 rang the death knell for Alco/MLW locomotives in Mexico, and most if not all of the big units were subsequently scrapped. 

In 1992-93, Ed Von Nordeck (TO user mundo) and the late Bill Farmer caught a number of ex-BC Rail MLW's running in the vicinity of Benjamin Hill, Sonora.

1, 2. (mundo) M630 712 in British Columbia Railway green, January 8, 1992.  Trainweb's roster shows this unit scrapped in 1995.
3. (mundo) M630 721 and wide-nosed M630W 725, both in BC Rail paint, January 8, 1992.

 

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4. (mundo) M630W 727 at the Benjamin Hill station, January 8, 1992.
5-6. (mundo) M630W 730 plays second-fiddle to GE Super 7-30C 14013, January 8, 1992.

 

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7. (Bill Farmer)  M630 714 and GP18 2306 in passenger service, April 3, 1993.
8-9. (Bill Farmer) M630 718, April 2, 1993.

Thanks to Ed for sharing these photos!

 

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Bill Farmer nailed the former BC Rail units with his night images April 2, 1993.  Thanks for the background info and excellent images by Bill and Ed.

Thanks for sharing those great images. 

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

Last stand for the MLW's. Nice coverage. I think a few are still running on some eastern US shortlines at this time.

Regards, Jim Evans

Great post, don't see too many shots of the BC Rail units in Mexico.

Michael

In the second pic of 712, the third coach in the train looks like one of the aluminum bodied day coaches,(with opening windows) that was built by Hawker-Siddeley Canada at their plant in Thunder Bay, Ontario in the 80"s.More Canadian content!

Fantastic group of photos!!!

The night shots of 718 with the piggy back flat is reminiscent of No. 23 the "Vancouver-Peace" ready to depart North Van in the evening hours, even though it would be extremely rare for the VP to be powered by a single loco.

Thanks for posting these, good to see these units working after their BCR careers.

I believe only 705 (modified by GE) and 706 are still in one piece, both currently on the Delaware Lackawana.

Mike N.

Splendid set, thanks.

Only made it to this area on the SB-C once but in 1980

Our train from Mexicalli had a GP40P-GP40-2-and a N de M SD40-2

Thanks for the post !

Jay Roberts
Sumner, WA.