General Electric called this an M-630-S7, and it was a 1991 Dash 7 upgrade of British Columbia Railway M630 705. The rebuild was intended to interest those Mexican railroads with large fleets of Alco and Montreal 251-engined units, to upgrade their GE electrical systems to current standards, while maintaining their well-respected Alco designed 251-series prime movers, which were still being manufactured and supported worldwide. Missing as well as the hanging bell, are the extra BCR ditch lights on the nose, betrayed by two large circular recesses there. I appreciate your post of this excellent image, Carl.
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Great looking Alco/MLW, I often wondered what became of this unit.
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I remember seeing several of these engines in British Columbia Railway colors between 1993 and 1996 in northwest Mexico. These engines had a lot of heating problems in the deserts of Sonora and they did not last very long. The last engine i saw was FNM 724 a wide nose alco pulling the famous "burro"southbound from Mexicali to Benjamin Hill.
Great picture, Saludos.
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