BC Rail's MLW C630M/M630

BC Rail 718 and a class mate with a southbound freight near Garibaldi BC, February 1988. Brian Elchlepp photo

701 - 704 were MLW C630M, built in June 1969. By the time PGE went for more, MLW had introduced the M prefix for Montreal-built ALCos. Between late 1970 and 1973 26 M630 were delivered, the last eight units had the comfort cab also used with the M420.

Most of the big Ms were retired in May and June 1990 with the arrival of the GE C40-8M nos. 4601-4622. The rest followed until 1991. All but wrecked 711 were traded in to General Electric. A number of M630s (at least 702, 709, 710, 718, 726, 729) were resold to Mexico (NdeM/FNM) and saw some more years of service there. All Mexican units were retired in the late 90s.

BCR 715 is the second in a group of 9 (714-722) MLW M-630 locomotives built for BC Rail in 1972. They were all retired in 1990/1991 and sold to General Electric. However, #715 ended up only temporarily in the Canadian Railway Museum, St. Constant, Quebec, where this picture was taken in June 1994. It was mistakenly delivered there by CP and was moved to the dealer Merrilees, where the trace of the unit is lost. It was most likely scrapped. Gicu Popescu photo

In August 00 702, 709, 710, 718, 726 and 729 were up for sale at FNM's Matías Romero shops.

BC Rail #721 (with 707 in front), an M-630, enroute to General Electric in Toronto, Ont., June 25th, 1990. Gary Zuters photo

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Last update 21.08.00