ONR

[Swadian Hardcore]

You think it's gonna happen? Not in the Canada's current situation! They're cutting trains left and right.

 

[Nathanael]

Ontario's more likely to restore trains than the national government is. Harper's government of Canada is plainly openly hostile to train service; VIA's decision to shut down trains which are full of passengers, while refusing to disclose ridership numbers, makes this abundantly clear. Until Harper is removed from office, I think the only expansions of train service in Canada will come in and near metro areas, driven by the municipal governments.

The Ontario government is merely uninterested in train service -- which unfortunately means train restoration is unlikely. If it does happen, replacing the recently-cut VIA trains with GO trains will be a higher priority for the Ontario government than restoring the Northland service. Even this will only happen if the municipalities push for it.

 

[Twin Star Rocket]

ONR was part of a grand circle trip I made in July 1985. Leg 1: Amtrak from Chicago to Toronto. Leg 2: ONR's NORTHLANDER from Toronto to Porquis (Cochrane). Leg 3: Cochrane to Moosonee and back. Leg 4: VIA's NORTHLAND plus connecting bus from Cochrane to Kapuskasing to Hearst. Leg 4: Algoma Central to Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Leg 5: Soo Line mixed train from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich to Gladstone. Leg 5: Bus from Gladstone to Milwaukee and finally Leg 6: Amtrak from Milwaukee to Chicago.

Great trip one cannot do today! NORTHLANDER was former TEE equipment from Europe.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Soo Line ran mixed trains? Could you explain a bit more about that?

In Ontario, if VIA keeps cutting trains, we could see GO trains run very far distances and get upgraded cars.

 

[Twin Star Rocket]

Up until the mid to late 1980s, one could travel in the caboose of a Soo Line freight train on a few routes in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These were holdovers from the days of regular passenger service on the Soo Line.

The Georgia Railroad had a similar service using actual coaches.

 

[DET63]

Notice to ONTC passengers

Please note that the Northlander passenger train is no longer in service.
Every community served by the Northlander train will continue to be serviced by ONTC motor coach service. Please check Schedule and Fares and Station Locations for more information.

Northlander tickets are transferable and can be used on the bus prior to the expiry date. You can also receive a refund for your unused valid, Northlander ticket at an ONTC agency or station.

All NLDR tickets are valid for use on the bus prior to expiry date. Tickets must have the same origin and destination.

 

[CHamilton]

It sounds like the new Ontario government may be backing off from selling Ontario Northland, but no decisions have been made.

Ontario Minister talks Northern issuesTIMMINS - As Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Michael Gravelle is arguably the most important link to Queen’s Park for Northerners.
...
The minister discussed at length provincial issues specific to the region.

He admitted one of the biggest bones of contention in the Northeast is the divestiture of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

“In the 2012 budget the decision was made,” Gravelle said. “There certainly was some very clear fiscal challenges and there was a decision made at that time, obviously in terms of the budget that indeed the divestment of the ONTC was the direction the government needed to go in. It was certainly a very tough decision at the time and one that (drew) a very strong reaction from Northern Ontario.”

Since that time, there has been a change in the premiership, with Kathleen Wynne replacing Dalton McGuinty. The provincial government has somewhat softened its response on the ONTC sell-off, but has not yet made any concrete promises.

“Premier Wynne is a different premier,” Gravelle said. “Working her way through Northern Ontario during the leadership campaign, she certainly heard from a lot of people about it. We spoke about the fact that we needed to work with municipal leaders, First Nations, industry, Metis Nations. We needed to have the kinds of discussion that could bring us to a way that we had a sustainable, efficient and effective Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

“With the premier’s support, we formed the Ministerial Advisory Committee and it was something we felt was incredibly important. And it was welcomed by many of the Northern leaders as they felt they had not had an opportunity to have those kind of discussions.

“We’ve been looking at this very seriously. I came to the conclusion that divestment wasn’t the only option, that there are multiple options. And that’s the path that we’ve been going down.”
...
“The reason why yesterday’s meeting was so effective and, what I would describe as one of the best ones, is we certainly had an extraordinary frank discussion about the financial realities of the ONTC,” he said. “There certainly are challenges from a fiscal point of view that everybody acknowledges. Everybody absolutely agrees that the status quo is not an option. But what we need to do is make decisions that are in the best interests of a transportation and telecommunications company that can actually operate in a sustainable way into the long-term future.

“So does that mean potential partnerships? Does that mean potential involvement with the private sector? Does it mean some divisions remaining in public hands? The answer is yes to all of those. And those are decisions that have not yet been made.”

He couldn’t pin down a specific time frame for making a decision on the ONTC’s future.

“We do have some more work to do,” Gravelle said. “There is an understandable feeling that we need to have some answers fairly soon.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The important thing is that once a train has been cut, it's very hard to bring it back. As long as they keep it running, then the train is safe for now. Even if Harper gets out of office, Canada probably still won't get the lost trains back. As I've said before, they only cut, cut and cut trains with no new services added or restored.

The only consolation for ONR's cut services is that they're replaced with excellent bus equipment.

 

[yarrow]

The only consolation for ONR's cut services is that they're replaced with excellent bus equipment.

off topic, but what is the excellent bus equipment that is to console us for loss of the train?

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

The only consolation for ONR's cut services is that they're replaced with excellent bus equipment.

off topic, but what is the excellent bus equipment that is to console us for loss of the train?

Probably won't console most of the people on the forum, since they're not bus fans, but those Ontario Northland D-units are some pretty d?&n good buses! The J and X units are not bad either. I sure hope they haven't retired the 103A3, but I think I'm out of luck. I've seen mighty trains replaced by terrible, falling apart buses before, this is at least not as bad! Worse case scenario: Train Cut, No Replacement!

Won't go into detail about buses, I don't want to hijack another thread.

 

[CHamilton]

Most of Ontario Northland Transportation Commission to remain public

The province plans to continue to operate the motor coach, Polar Bear Express, rail freight, and refurbishment services of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission as a government owned company....

It will spend more than $23 million over the next three years on the rest of the ONTC, pending budget approvals, to purchase new motor coaches for the bus line and to refurbish rail coaches for the Polar Bear Express.

 

[railiner]

The only consolation for ONR's cut services is that they're replaced with excellent bus equipment.

off topic, but what is the excellent bus equipment that is to console us for loss of the train?

Probably won't console most of the people on the forum, since they're not bus fans, but those Ontario Northland D-units are some pretty d?&n good buses! The J and X units are not bad either. I sure hope they haven't retired the 103A3, but I think I'm out of luck. I've seen mighty trains replaced by terrible, falling apart buses before, this is at least not as bad! Worse case scenario: Train Cut, No Replacement!

Won't go into detail about buses, I don't want to hijack another thread.

Back in the '70's, and 80's ONR used to run a thru overnite trip (with Gray Coach Lines), that they named "The Sleeper", between Toronto, North Bay, and Timmins. It utilized specially equipped "Slumber Lounge Coach" MC-8's, and later MC-9's, that offered very comfortable 'daynighter' type recliner's in a two-and-one seating configuration. IIRC, they had a few other amenities, like window curtains, pillows, blankets, bottled drinking water, etc.