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PWRS has commissioned Rapido Trains to produce a Special Run of their NEW GMD-1 Locomotive - 1100 Series.

The Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY) GMD-1 Locomotive will be exclusive to Pacific Western Rail Systems.

There will be 5 different road numbers, with only 20 of each produced in both DCC w/Sound and Non-Sound/ DCC Ready Versions. These 5 locomotives are unique! They have had their 3-axle trucks removed and changed to 2-axle trucks to accomodate larger fuel tanks.

These will ONLY be available through Pacific Western Rail Systems. This will be a one time only run, so don't delay, or you will miss the train!

If you model the Vancouver area or the Lower Mainland – this is a must have engine!

 SRY 1201 (Acquired 2005. Ex Canadian National 1116, nee CN 1016) - large white Rail Link logo at front, spark arrestors

 SRY 1202 (Acquired 2005. Ex CN 1153, nee CN 1053) - Newer "Meatball" Rail Link logo, spark arrestors

 SRY 1203 (Acquired 2005. Ex CN 1169, nee CN 1069) - large white Rail Link logo at front, spark arrestors

 SRY 1204 (Acquired 2005. Ex CN 1170, nee CN 1070) - large white Rail Link logo at front, spark arrestors

 SRY 1205 (Acquired 2005. Ex CN 1172, ex CN 1072, ex Northern Alberta Railway 310, nee CN 1072) - large white Rail Link logo at front, straight exhaust stacks, internal spark arrestors

The Southern Railway of British Columbia, branded as SRY Rail Link (reporting mark SRY) is a Canadian short line railway operating in the southwestern British Columbia. The main facility is the port at Annacis Island with major import of cars, export of forestry products, and other shipments. The railway has interconnections with three Class I railroads, including Canadian Pacific (CP), Canadian National (CN) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). It operates a fleet of 29 locomotives, mostly consisting of EMD GP-9 & SW900 locomotives. It also rosters 5 unique Ex. Canadian National Railway GMD-1 locomotives*, and runs 3 SD38-2 locomotives, and 1 SD38AC. The railroad also operates a fleet 2,000 rail cars, SRY hauls approximately 70,000 carloads per year. It operates around 123 miles (198 km) of track, 62 miles (100 km) of which is mainline track.

* Early 2005, the Washington Group, owners of SRY up here in the Vancouver area of BC, Canada, purchased some ex-CN GMD1's. The GMD1's were built by GMD specifically for CN's light rail branch lines, and most, if not all were equipped with A1A trucks when delivered. They have since been retrucked to BB configuration. These locos were unique to CN until about 20 or so years ago when some were sold to various leasing outfits across North America and South America. While shopping for some new-used locos, SRY came across and purchased 5 ex-CN GMD1's from the Taylor Rail Goup in Northern Ontario – CN 1116, 1153, 1169, 1170, and 1172. They were then renumbered to SRY 1201-1205 consecutively. They were all shipped from Ontario to B.C. by CP and arrived a few at a time. Some work was required to return these engines to running condition as they had been sitting idle for some time. They were first painted into the Washington group livery with the large "Lion's Head-W". SRY 1205, as seen above, sports the newer red "Meatball" style logo.

The History Southern Railway of British Columbia

Southern Railway of British Columbia Limited (SRY) has a very rich history going back over 100 years. SRY was originally incorporated on April 3, 1897 and was known as the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER), uniting several separate interurban and street railway systems in Vancouver, Victoria and New Westminster into one company. It was primarily an interurban trolley service for passengers, as well as freight for such as farm produce.

They operated the largest system of interurban railways in Canada, shuttling passengers and express trains back and forth across the valley for 40 years. In the late 1940’s automobiles, buses and the improvement of roads saw the end of an era for shuttling passengers and a new era for handling freight. Freight service was dieselized during the 1950’s and 1960’s, and the last electric freight switching ended in October 1970. Since 1950 the line has been a shortline freight railway playing a prominent role in the industrialization of Vancouver’s lower mainland and the Fraser Valley.

The BCER was taken over by the provincial government in 1961 when BC Hydro was created, and was then known as the BC Hydro Railway. Hydro continued to operate the railway until 1988, when it was sold by the Provincial Government to the Itel Rail Group, and was renamed the Southern Railway of British Columbia.

In 1994 it was bought by Washington Group International but kept the SRY name. The Washington Group has since merged with URS. To this day the Province and BC Hydro retain the right to reintroduce passenger service. In recent years, with congestion and growing environmental concerns, there has been increasing demand for this service, and willingness to pay, from persons wishing to travel among Fraser Valley communities other than by private automobile.

Southern Railway of British Columbia At-a-Glance…

Main Line Track Miles: 62
Employees: Aprox. 200
Locomotives: 29
Freight Cars: 700
Total Carloads Freight: 68,000

Reservations Due: March 30, 2015

Expected Release: September 2015

jkb/reb