lenaitch
Senior Member
I'm sure the hosts of an open house about the return of the Northlander were thrilled with a bunch of off-topic/off-corridor questions. 'What, no train to Thunder Bay?'
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Ontario Northland/Northern Ontario Transportation
- Thread starter CDL.TO
- Start date
micheal_can
Senior Member
When you word it right, you get the answer you are looking for without them actually releasing information that may not be visible to the public.
I asked about the amount of bus service that shows it would be a success and they basically said they are at max capacity of 4 buses between North Bay and Toronto
Kitsune
Senior Member
... soo your saying a Toronto - Parry Sound - Sudbury - Chapleau - White River - Nipigon - Thunder Bay train is possible ? Or just run it all the way to Dryden - Kenora ?
lenaitch
Senior Member
That might be a decent economic metric that they can reference, but be under no illusion that the ONTC is capable of independent action outside of its legislated mandate and, more importantly, budget. The Northlander was killed by political action and is being returned by political action. There might be 20 buses scurrying between Sudbury and Toronto, but all ONTC could do is bring it to the attention of their Minister.
You want a train between 'here' and 'there' Ontario? Pester your MPP.
micheal_can
Senior Member
...if there were4 buses a day between them....... soo your saying a Toronto - Parry Sound - Sudbury - Chapleau - White River - Nipigon - Thunder Bay train is possible ? Or just run it all the way to Dryden - Kenora ?
micheal_can
Senior Member
All passenger rail is beholden to the political engines of their locale.My eyes are not blind to this.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
The best (fake) paint scheme:
ShonTron
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I went to the Gravenhurst open house today, where there were several representatives from Ontario Northland on hand.
Attendees were asked to vote on their choice of colour scheme, what they wanted to see in a on-board menu (which would be at-seat service, like VIA and unlike the previous Northlander). The interior layouts would be pretty much the same as VIA’s (no surprise), and including a business class car (which surprised me).
The overnight schedule through Northeastern Ontario is supposedly what the passengers up north want, with staff saying it would minimize the amount of nights one would have to stay in Toronto. I guess that makes sense.
Most stations will just be newly installed enclosed GO-Transit style glass shelters with heating; it seems that the only existing stations to be used will be Union, Langstaff, Gormley, North Bay, and Englehart. Platforms will be low-height but with enough clearance for the onboard wheelchair lifts.
Attendees were asked to vote on their choice of colour scheme, what they wanted to see in a on-board menu (which would be at-seat service, like VIA and unlike the previous Northlander). The interior layouts would be pretty much the same as VIA’s (no surprise), and including a business class car (which surprised me).
The overnight schedule through Northeastern Ontario is supposedly what the passengers up north want, with staff saying it would minimize the amount of nights one would have to stay in Toronto. I guess that makes sense.
Most stations will just be newly installed enclosed GO-Transit style glass shelters with heating; it seems that the only existing stations to be used will be Union, Langstaff, Gormley, North Bay, and Englehart. Platforms will be low-height but with enough clearance for the onboard wheelchair lifts.
lenaitch
Senior Member
It seems they have settled on not disrupting any current uses of existing trackside stations, such as Gravenhurst, Huntsville and Temagami and are just going with the shelters.
micheal_can
Senior Member
I have mixed feelings about this. It is sad that those stations cannot be used, but I respect the fact they are privately owned.
IRT_BMT_IND
Active Member
It looks like that schedule would require 2 trainsets to operate, which seems about right seeing how ONR bought 3 (so one spare), assuming frequencies are daily. It does make the most sense given the demand patterns and intended use cases for this service, but waiting for a train in Temagami in winter at 4 in the morning with no station building sounds very much not fun.
Was there any word if any upgrades will be made to the Newmarket sub? I know parts of it used to have at least ABS signals that were decommissioned after the first iteration of the Northlander was killed. Would Transport Canada demand upgrades like (at least partial) CTC installation?
Was there any word if any upgrades will be made to the Newmarket sub? I know parts of it used to have at least ABS signals that were decommissioned after the first iteration of the Northlander was killed. Would Transport Canada demand upgrades like (at least partial) CTC installation?
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ShonTron
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I asked whether any track improvements are part of this. They mentioned that some upgrades, like a new passing siding on the CN Bala Sub, are coming, along with some curve realignments near New Liskeard.
The cynic in me wonders if the ONR Charger/Venture sets are designed to be easily sellable if the service is eliminated a second time, especially if they’re going to have the same configuration as VIA. At least the province will have minimal sunk cost if that does happen.
lenaitch
Senior Member
Although they plan on heated shelters, I think the reality, outside of the major stops, will be that most will wait in vehicles like they did in the past. Most stops have no transit or taxi service. Even for those larger ones that do have transit, the proposed schedule is way beyond their service hours and extending them is not guaranteed.
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ProjectEnd
Superstar
Newmarket? Isn't this going up the Bala?
Northern Light
Superstar
Confusing, I know, the 'Newmarket Sub' of CN is the route from Washago north.
It used to be connected to the track in Barrie which is, in turn, now, GO's Newmarket (Barrie) sub.
When the route was severed into two, CN retained the name 'Newmarket' on its tracks up to North Bay.
Map:
The little line in the bottom left corner is Bala, which is the link you're thinking of, except it runs beyond Washago into Sudbury; where Newmarket goes straight up from Bala.
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