Rolf Stumpf photo
The Hudson Bay Railway (an Omnitrax company) operates the mixed train 290/291 between The Pas and Lynn Lake for VIA Rail. The rumor that this train would be MLW-powered proved to be correct. Depending on freight amount two or three M420 haul the train!
HBRy's parent Omnitrax apparently has the entire 251-powered fleet for sale! This includes the M420 and the ex-Belt Railway C-424. Contact Omnitrax' HQ at Loveland, CO if you're interested in buying units.
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3543, 604 and 3544 lead VIA train 290 north of MP 49 just having
left 13 lumber empties at a loading spur. May 26th, 2000. Rolf Stumpf photo |
More ALCos went north: Belt Railway of Chicago's C-424 were bought in summer 1999 and arrived on the HBRy property in late 1999. Only 604 made it to working condition (if not more, please tell me). 600, 601, 602 and 605 were sidelined with minor to major defects. In summer 2002 600, 601 and 604 were sold to the Arkansas & Missouri RR as parts sources.
Gallery of the Belt Railway fellows at the HBRy
According to the VIA schedules train 291 is leaving The Pas on 11:15 am Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Train 290 leaves Lynn Lake for the return trip on 9:15 am the following day. The northbound train takes mostly empties, while the southbound is loaded. Major traffic is lumber picked up near MP 47 and nickel ore from Lynn Lake which goes to Flin Flon for the smelter.
2512 was for some time the only working EMD on the property and usually should work at Churchill during the grain season. Omnitrax has sent 4 EMDs to The Pas by March 26th 2001 and more are expected to arrived to free the M420s. By end of March 2001 only 7 M420s remained active, the other ALCos and MLWs are stored. Time's running up for the last MLW soliders at The Pas.
| Yard goat 3555 at The Pas, May 22nd, 2000. The HBRY was for a short
time a wet dream for M420 afficionados. Rolf Stumpf photo |
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Hudson Bay Railway 251 powered units roster (March 2001)
| no. | model | notes |
| 600 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), 2002 sold to A&M |
| 601 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), 2002 sold to A&M |
| 602 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), stored |
| 603 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), stored |
| 604 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), 2002 sold to A&M |
| 605 | C424 | ex BRC (1999), stored |
| 643 | M420 | ex BC Rail, stored |
| 683 | M420B | ex BC Rail, stored |
| 685 | M420B | ex BC Rail, stored |
| 3530 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3533 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3539 | M420 | ex CN, stored |
| 3541 | M420 | ex CN, stored |
| 3543 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3544 | M420 | ex CN, stored |
| 3545 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3548 | M420 | ex CN, green HBRY paint, stored |
| 3550 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3551 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3555 | M420 | ex CN |
| 3556 | M420 | ex CN, retired, parts source |
| 3559 | M420 | ex CN, stored |
| Greek style (no olive oil, though) M420B no. 683 at The Pas. May
28th, 2000. Rolf Stumpf photo |
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Compare the different rear ends of the ALCo C-424 (left) and MLW M-420
(right). Both units were at The Pas on May 25th, 2000.
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Last update 04.07.02