BCR Tumbler Sub

Same video as posted a year ago, but without the banned music content. CN power picks up at Tacheeda from the Tumbler RIdge electrics. Crews were very friendly, and we managed to snag a cab ride on the head end to Sukunka, returning on the light helpers back to Murray shop. Filmed in September, 1991

[@filipostojic1239]

Must have been cool to experience, in the middle of nowhere, mountains and wildlife all around, really quiet, just you and your work colleagues, then you have these futuristic electric locomotives providing the only sound for kilometers around. Must have been something memorable

[@terencechevalier5756]

Even tho electric is done its still neat there. I work for cn just north of there but occasionally get to work on that sub and its pretty cool

[@Nathanrailfan]

Everyone got know that BCOL 6001 is saved at the British Columbia Railway & Forest Industry Museum.

[@BArailsystem]

I love the SD60F's pulling coal gondolas with a caboose. Unreal footage!

[@finallytricked]

Just OUTSTANDING! God, I miss this operation so much. I was lucky enough to do the BC Rail system tour with the WCRA two years earlier and the best part was Tumbler.............

[@ecologist96]

Beautiful machines, sad that they had to go :(

[@jacobtompke8677]

I really miss the old trains. I wish I could go back in time and see those trains once again.

[@brocklanders6172]

The kind of railroad you'd get if money wasn't an object and you had the best engineers to design and build it.

[@RogerDiotte]

Brock Landers you have a great eye! It should all be that way in fact it should be standard for everyone's sake. But as a railroader I'll say that this was a great structure to have road on back then. The track crews made something to last and without corporate heads sticking their heads in every Foreman's decision on what's needed to maintain! I'll recall my dad back when story telling about when they electrified up there. He worked up in Tumbler overhead crane installing back yonder, me from Ontario would try and draw a mental picture of his story.. Tonight I finally lay the story to bed.. Just what I imagined... Nice.

[@ATSF854]

It wasn't perfect by any means. But they did an incredible job for the amount of time they had to build the whole system.

[@VisionsOfOdin]

Bring back BC rail

[@Kvr3005]

It would have been incredible to work on the Tumbler Sub back when the electrics were still around.

[@EMDSD14R]

i have the pentrex tape on this line and the electric's..wonderful line and great electric's..awesome video!!

[@jonathandball]

Great video. Really enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing.

[@jacobtompke8677]

Ya, thanks for the reply! And that's why I see BC rails on CN trains, but I've never seen a bc rail on with a cp train.

[@Kvr3005]

those mines have re- opened and CN now runs trains through there

[@jacobtompke8677]

It would be so amazing if CN or CP could do this and make electric locomotives and make electric railways, but still have diesel trains rolling on the tracks. It would be very efficient. We need to find a way to save the oil in our little planet or well have no fuel left by the year 2055 somthing like that.

[@anb7408]

According to National Geographic back in the 1970’s, we should’ve already run out of oil by now. They just keep adding more years to it since they don’t have the first d*** clue.

[@OfficialSEIC2K6]

There is one GMD GF6C that hasn't been scrapped. BCOL 6001 has been saved from the scrappy. It's preserved at Prince George Railway Museum in Prince George British Columbia.

[@pooled100]

these GFC-6 Units were my favorites but only one remains all the rest have been scrapped 6001 sits in the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum i have stood in it and wondered what it was like and you just answered my question

[@KaciCooperations]

Cool.

[@Kvr3005]

Those BCR electrics are history, they were all scrapped except for one and all the wires are taken down, Plus I doubt CN will use electric locomotives for some time.

[@Isochest]

A great video of a railway I believe has now gone but is more relevant than ever in North America given Oil's Imminent end. Electrify Now!!!!

[@elrodjones]

1:25 looks like an HO layout...nice video!

[@raymondwedley]

Like The Locomotive

[@Kvr3005]

Ya CN runs 3 loads and 3 empties on that line every day , its a little late to bring bc rail back, CN has already leased it for so many years and they have scrapped many of the bc rail locomotives and railcars

[@Kvr3005]

I have a feeling that this line will soon be elictrified again because of the oil crisis.

[@EpicThe112]

Here's what CN Should have done retain the electric operations but Use it as a model to electrify the entire Oakville Subdivision line using the same voltage but The wire clearances are the same as the Redding railroad in Philadelphia to allow Double Stack Trains through them. In this Scenario GM 6s are replaced by ACS-64s Provided CN piggybacks on SEPTA ACS-64 901-915 orders

[@fmnut]

Huh?????

[@EpicThe112]

@@fmnut What I meant was that Canadian national should have kept it because it's economical then use it as a prototype if CN decided to electrify The Oakville Subdivision route

[@fmnut]

@@EpicThe112 but it wasn't economical, that's why they got rid of it. It only was cost effective with large volumes of traffic. At current levels it doesn't make sense.

[@joseaugusto-zo2vr]

​@@EpicThe112?😂whoever sees this European rubbish will have the capacity to pull a train that size even just in your little head

[@TrainfanProductions]

Nice!

[@Chrisracer8903]

Was coal the only freight the Tumbler Sub had?

[@railfanman7709]

How come the gf6c didn’t have 2 sets of ditch lights

[@fmnut]

The extra set of ditch lights in the "standard" BCR light package were angled to effectively "shine around the corner" to provide better illumination into the sharp curvature of the BCR main line (up to 15 degrees). Since the Tumbler Ridge line was engineered with easier curves (up to 6 degrees) the "into the corner" lighting was not needed on the GF6C's since they were restricted to only that line.

[@railfanman7709]

fmnut thank you that is very helpful

[@jacobtompke8677]

its very sad. why would canada get rid of there beutiful old BC rail trains with there relaxing sounding k5l / k5h horns? why would they also get rid of there electric trains? i wish they still had the BC rail trains everywhere.

[@fmnut]

***** In a nutshell, the electrification went away because the world coal market changed in the 20 years from when Tumbler Ridge was built and the first coal contracts were written. The contracts for Tumbler coal were not renewed because it could be sourced cheaper elsewhere around the globe. There was also a general trend away from coal in that time, it not being a "green" energy source. The electrification was predicated on a large number of trains per day which would have plugged the long tunnels with diesel fumes had they not electrified. Once it became clear that the anticipated traffic would never materialize, they scrapped the electrification. They are hauling out coal with diesels, but not at nearly the level that would justify using electrics and maintaining the overhead.

[@christophercoleman1895]

+fmnut beautiful trains love it

[@ZombieSlayer-dj3wb]

It sucks that their is no more sd50/60Fs

[@proto_life_2003]

what engine is that

[@Kvr3005]

How much horse power did those units have?

[@mr.sir.]

6k bud

[@Nathanrailfan]

What was the point of this if diesel engines could use it too?

[@pooled100]

these GFC-6 Units were my favorites but only one remains all the rest have been scrapped 6001 sits in the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum i have stood in it and wondered what it was like and you just answered my question

[@pooled100]

these GFC-6 Units were my favorites but only one remains all the rest have been scrapped 6001 sits in the Prince George Railway and Forestry Museum i have stood in it and wondered what it was like and you just answered my question