Comments on: Out of the series of ALCO C-630 locomotives that once graced the Cartier Mining Co roster; this was the last survivor. The original series of #30-39 were all former UP locomotives, retired in 1990, and according to the CTG this one might have been the former UP 2907. A perfect sunshine shot near the Port Cartier diesel shop back in ALCO glory days, this being early summer 1981.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:07:47 +0000

Also the Cartier M636′s survived, while a few were preserved and some scrapped after WNYP got rid of ‘em all, D-L got a handful and they are in various forms of being returned to service..

The last stand of these bigguns in daily revenue freight service is in Scranton, and I encourage everyone to go while you still can.

NYLE has used theirs occasionally, but it may still need new traction motors as one needed to be repaired.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:33:43 +0000

According to some digging, locomotive dealer Ed Bowers scooped it up in the early 2000′s, probably as a preservation effort. He also had looked at a lot of those ex-CN CBCNS units in NS, but apparently the wheels on most of them were to far gone to move.

https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Cartier_Railway_30-39

By: awmooney

awmooney — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:04:20 +0000

Thank you for your scholarly input, MrDan. Of all places to end up. Perhaps it was on the AM as parts too for a spell?

By: MrDan

MrDan — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:41:21 +0000

This unit was apparently kept as a backup unit on Cartier after all the other C630′s had been retired, and survived late enough to be repatriated and end up in a museum in Arkansas restored as UP 2907.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:17:40 +0000

Pretty amazing the cartier m636′s lasted until 2019-2020… with any luck one will be back in Scranton.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 22:56:03 +0000

Gotta love the US Alco built tri mount trucks compared to the MLW style under the CN and CP MlW’s!

By: NiagaraMike11

NiagaraMike11 — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 20:22:41 +0000

When the railroad was being built,Cartier tried to recruit a lot of non French speaking railroaders, especially CN people from Ontario. My dad was recruited by Cartier from CN and was told not to worry about his lack of french. My dad said that’s why the sidings were named in alphabetical from the south to north to aid Ontario railroaders till they got better at French.

By: Driver8666

Driver8666 — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:31:43 +0000

I like how it says “Caution: No Footboard” in English when you’re roaming around deep in Quebec.