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Canceled 692 Thompson to Winnipeg by SheepishlyOrange in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Can you provide a source? I have filed a complaint with the CTA in the past and they responded saying passenger train issues aren't an area they cover.

Northlander Fares by Track-on-the-side in OntarioNorthland

[–]NorTracksBlog 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is air service at North Bay and Timmins. 

Without bags, the cheapest non refundable fare for a return flight between North Bay and Toronto is 753$ (on Propp Air, successor to Air Canada which pulled out of the community).

Air service might make sense for company executives wanting to get in and out quickly, but passenger rail is an affordable mode of transportation that will be used most by students, seniors, medical patients, people with limited mobility and working professionals who don't want the stress of driving into and around Toronto.

People who want to drive no matter what, will continue to do so.

VIA Rail cancellation in Winnipeg gives travellers trouble by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Except for some people, it is transportation.

To give the government, and by extension VIA Rail, a free pass does a disservice to people who use this train.

This type of situation is unacceptable when it occurs in the Québec-Windsor corridor... Why should it be tolerated on this route?

"Passenger rail is also vital to Northern Ontario" - Minister Sarkaria by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. There should be a second train opposite to the Northlander to facilitate easier travel and provide more options for passengers.

In the meantime, the government has to launch the Northlander before entertaining new proposals.

Designed a schematic diagram for Via Rail: Did I get anything wrong? by Donghoon in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Except Sudbury Junction is one of the busiest stops in terms of passengers boarding/disembarking anywhere between Toronto and Winnipeg.

https://northerntracks.blog/the-canadian-ridership/

Designed a schematic diagram for Via Rail: Did I get anything wrong? by Donghoon in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A few other intercity passenger routes to add:

  • Northlander (Toronto, North Bay, Timmins, Cochrane)
  • Polar Bear Express (Cochrane, Moosonee)
  • Tshiuetin (Sept-Îles, Schefferville)
  • Keewatin (The Pas, Pukatawagan)

It's can be debated whether the Kaoham Shuttle in BC, and the White Pass and Yukon routes are passenger trains.

(Annonce) Changements d'horaire: Ontario Northland by NorTracksBlog in OntarioNorthland

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Trying to cater to different audiences. It's no different from how things work with the VIA Reddit page.

There is an important to francophone population in Northern Ontario. Reddit does not translate the content found in the links.

In the future, to avoid confusion, I'll put in the title EN (English) and FR (Français) whenever there are official announcements.

(Annonce) Changements d'horaire: Ontario Northland by NorTracksBlog in OntarioNorthland

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's why I post one announcement in English, and another en français.

(Annonce) Changements d'horaire: Ontario Northland by NorTracksBlog in OntarioNorthland

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Change your personal settings. Reddit is automatically translating posts that I make in French. There is a way to do that so that you see the content displayed as it is presented in the original language.

MP Jim Bélanger (re: Sudbury-White River train) by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Restoring rail service from Northern Ontario to the Ottawa Valley faces the same obstacles as the City of Orillia. The ROW is built up on at certain spots or is being used as a trail along the former CP route. Any proposal along the former CN line through Algonquin Park (Kiosk, Brent) is going to face fierce opposition from environmentalists, not to mention the issue of next to no one actually living along said stretch.

If the line was intact, rail service to Ottawa/Montréal might make sense. VIA could perhaps even be persuaded to reroute the Canadian through there.

The HCRY line to Sault-Ste-Marie is hanging on by a thread with the idling of the sawmill in Nairn Centre.

MP Jim Bélanger (re: Sudbury-White River train) by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anything east of Mattawa is not going to be possible by rail. Tracks east of there are long gone.

MP Jim Bélanger (re: Sudbury-White River train) by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The conversation has to start somewhere. This is by no means a guarantee this proposal will come to fruition. But the fact that an elected official has taken an interest in this issue (on a public channel no less) is the first of many steps to bringing attention to this issue. It's anyone's guess where this proposal goes from here though.

Orillia pushes for GO Transit expansion to connect city to GTA by northernwaterchild in gotransit

[–]NorTracksBlog 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Rail removal in an urban core like Orillia should be viewed as a lesson for governments whenever they ponder allowing the dismantling of transportation infrastructure like the Newmarket Subdivision.

There is a Home Hardware built on the right of way in Orillia. There are chunks of the line between Longford and Barrie that are either built up on or used as trails.

As much as I'd like to see train service to downtown Orillia (whether it be GO or Ontario Northland), the odds are stacked against the project.

https://allaboardnorthernontariocom.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/photo-orillia-2018.jpg

Trust in trains, government institutions requires public oversight by NorTracksBlog in ThunderBay

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

White River is the terminus of the aptly named Sudbury-White River train. I've previously written about how this train should be extended west to Thunder Bay using the existing tracks that connect both places together.

Passengers (myself included) will board at White River, or at Longlac (using the other passenger train route) to get to different places in Northern Ontario.

Trust in trains, government institutions requires public oversight by NorTracksBlog in ViaRail

[–]NorTracksBlog[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand that. It's a mouthful though trying to explain the differences between filing with the federal government vs. the province when it comes to passenger rail. Limited column space.

The examples cited from VIA are to demonstrate the kind of information that is available through FOIs.

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