This article needs to be updated.(April 2016) |
Overview | |
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Parent company | Ontario Northland Transportation Commission |
Headquarters | 555 Oak Street East, North Bay, Ontario, Canada |
Reporting mark | ONT |
Locale | Northeastern Ontario |
Dates of operation | 1902– |
Technical | |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Track length | 1,086 kilometres (675 mi) of mainline track [1] |
Other | |
Website | www |
Ontario Northland Railway | |
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Overview | |
Owner | Government of Ontario |
Termini | |
Connecting lines | Swastika (Kirkland Lake) - Rouyn-Noranda Line (Nipissing Central Railway) |
Service | |
Type | heavy rail |
Services | Polar Bear Express |
Rolling stock | 24 active locomotives (2019) [2] |
Ridership | 51,189 yearly (2019) [3] |
Technical | |
Character | At-grade |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Ontario Northland Railway( reporting mark ONT) is a Canadian railway operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial Crown agency of the government of Ontario.
Originally built to develop the Lake Timiskaming and Lake Nipissing areas, the railway soon became a major factor in the economic growth of the province. After decades of difficult construction through the Canadian Shield, workers reached James Bay in 1932. While blasting the route through the shield, geologists discovered deposits of valuable minerals such as gold, silver, copper and nickel. The railway also made it possible to exploit the timber resources of Northern Ontario.
Its north–south mainline is located entirely in Ontario, starting at its southern terminus at North Bay, running northward through Cobalt, New Liskeard, Cochrane, and on to its northern terminus at Moosonee on the Moose River, about 19 km (12 mi) south of the shore of James Bay. There is one major branchline running eastward from Swastika through Kirkland Lake and over the Quebec border to end at Rouyn-Noranda. The railway's branch from Swastika to Rouyn-Noranda, including 40 kilometres of track in Quebec, is operated by a subsidiary, the Nipissing Central Railway. [4]
Shorter spur lines also exist running west from Rock Junction to Sherman Mine, south-west from Porquis Junction to Kidd Creek Mine, about 22 km east of Timmins, north-east from Porquis to Iroquois Falls and south from Opaz Junction to Agrium mine site. [5] Several other mining spurs opened and closed with the mines they served. Since 1993, the ONR operates a section of the National Transcontinental Railway running west from Cochrane to Calstock.
The line was originally chartered as the Lake Nipissing And James Bay Railway in 1884. The original route ran roughly northward from Callander to Moose River on James Bay. However, in 1902, before construction started, the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) took over the charter and used it as the basis for a new line running northwest from Parry Sound to Sudbury, with an additional line running from Parry Sound south to Toronto. The section running south to Toronto opened on November 6, 1906. The northern section was completed in 1908, although by this time it had been rechartered as part of the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway (CNOR).
With the original plans having been dropped, and a railway on this route still desired, the new Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway was incorporated on 17 March 1902, by the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway Act of the Ontario parliament. The railway was to be a provincial Crown corporation overseen by the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway Commission. Construction on the railway started in 1903, and the settlement of Redwater in the municipality of Temagami began as a small request stop when the railway reached the area of the Lower and Upper Redwater Lakes.
As it passed by Long Lake, near the 103 mile marker, the largest silver rush in Canada was sparked by workers looking for trees for railway ties. The town of Cobalt grew out of the fortunes of silver taken from the grounds. By 1905, it reached New Liskeard in the Lake Timiskaming area. The railway reached Englehart in 1906 and Cochrane in 1909. In the next few years, several branch lines were built.
In 1921, construction on a line north to James Bay was started. In 1923, the new Conservative premier of Ontario, Howard Ferguson, halted further construction, saying that it would be unprofitable. For four years the terminus of the line remained at Fraserdale, near Abitibi Canyon, where the Abitibi Canyon Generating Station was being built on the Abitibi River. Between 1928 and 1930 the railway was extended north at a slow pace. The pace of construction was quickened in 1930 as a make-work project due to the depression. The extension to James Bay was opened on July 15, 1932. The terminus of the railway was at the mouth of the Moose River near the old trading post of Revillon Frères. It was named Moosonee, from the Cree meaning "at the moose".
A name change for the railway was first proposed in 1942 by Arthur Cavanagh, who was chairman of the commission between 1940 and 1944. He noted that it would have the advantage of associating the railway with the province, not just the District of Timiskaming. A name change would also avoid confusion with the Texas and New Orleans Railway, which had the same initials. The Ontario railway often had boxcars misdirected in the United States, while receiving invoices that should have gone to Texas. The railway's name was changed to the Ontario Northland Railway on April 5, 1946, when a bill amending the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway Act received assent.
Three new mines were opened in Northern Ontario in the 1960s. Sherman Mine in Temagami was opened in 1968, Adams Mine in Kirkland Lake in 1963, and Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins in 1967. The Ontario Northland Railway built spurs to serve these mines.
In 1993, CN applied to abandon sections of its underused former National Transcontinental Railway mainline across northern Ontario (it had previously abandoned the portion of the line between Calstock and Nakina in 1988). The portion between Calstock and Cochrane was sold to ONR.
In December 2000, the Ontario government announced that it would be privatizing the railway. CN submitted a bid in March 2002, and in October the government gave it exclusive rights to negotiate a purchase of the railway. However, the deal fell through on July 2, 2003, over the government's insistence on job guarantees, and the railway remained in public hands. On February 25, 2005, CN and ONR signed a routing agreement in which ONR would transport CN's freight traffic between Noranda and either Hearst or North Bay.
On April 14, 2010, there was news of a proposed Ontario Northland takeover of the controversial Ottawa Valley rail tracks. However, this development never came to fruition.
On March 23, 2012, the Ontario government announced that it would begin to wind down the ONTC, citing increased costs to the government and stagnant ridership. ONR passenger train service between Toronto and Cochrane (the Northlander ) was withdrawn and replaced with an augmented bus service, and all of the corporation's assets were to be sold off. [6] On August 16, the Ontario Government announced that Northlander train service would end on September 28, 2012, and Ontera will be sold off. [7]
Northern Ontario municipal leaders had continued to express their fears regarding the divestment. They indicated that the ONR provides a fundamental link to many remote and rural communities and provides freight transport to many companies, including mining and forestry, allowing them to thrive. They indicate that the government maintained its funding to the GO Transit network in Southern Ontario and it is important to not forget about the important service the ONR provides to Northern Ontario residents. [8] In February 2014, the new premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne, met with northern community leaders and the head of the company and union to discuss the future of the company. They decided the union and management would present a reconstruction plan to the government for consideration. [9]
In late February 2014 a report to restructure the ONTC was delivered to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. The proposal detailed how the organization could be modernized both culturally and in job reductions through attrition. The report was well received by the minister who appreciated how management and labour come together to explore options for the corporation. [10]
In April 2014 the provincial government concluded the company would remain in public hands. However, Ontera (its telecommunication division) would be sold off to Bell Aliant. The government would reinvest in the company to purchase new coaches and refurbish rolling stock for the Polar Bear Express . This decision was supported by other members of Provincial Parliament after the auditor general's review cited that it would have cost the taxpayer $820 million instead of saving $265.9 million over three years had the divestment proceeded. [11] [12]
In December 2020, the province released the draft transportation plan for Northern Ontario which recommended continuing to move forward on a plan for passenger rail services. [13] In May 2021, the provincial government announced plans for Ontario Northland and Metrolinx to write a business plan to resume passenger operations between Toronto and northeastern Ontario with a 13-stop route to begin service by the mid-2020s. In November 2021, the decision was made to make the new terminus Timmins (previously Cochrane) due to its size and the fact that it serves as a regional transportation hub. [14] [15] A test run was conducted in March 2021, and again in November of 2021 where several northern Ontario mayors, MPPs, and local residents were taken from North Bay to Toronto's Union station. [16]
In December 2022, the provincial government announced that it would purchase 3 new train sets from Siemens Mobility Limited at a cost of $140 million. Each train set would consist of a Charger locomotive and three Venture passenger cars. The train sets are for the restoration of Northlander train service between Toronto and Cochrane, which would operate four to seven times per week depending on season. There would be 16 stops: Toronto (Union Station), Langstaff, Gormley, Washago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River, North Bay, Temagami, Temiskaming Shores, Englehart, Kirkland Lake/Swastika, Matheson, Timmins and Cochrane. [17]
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ONR operates or operated the following passenger services:
In June 2007 the Polar Bear Express was expanded from a seasonal excursion service to a year-round passenger train, replacing the Little Bear mixed freight/passenger train, which had operated 3 days per week. The new train carries some equipment not commonly found on passenger trains, including chain cars (flat cars) for passenger vehicles and boxcars.
In April 2022 the Ontario Government announced that it would invest $75-million (CAD), into infrastructure and towards resuming service between Toronto and Timmins. [20]
Connections with other railway systems are made as follows:
There are a series of regular runs including:
The railway currently owns about 25 diesel locomotives and roughly 700 items of rolling stock. One of its more unusual pieces of rolling stock is a canoe car, which is in service in the summer as part of the Polar Bear Express passenger train. The car can hold up to 18 canoes. Canoeists can put canoes on this car as part of their baggage, although canoes are often stowed in boxcars. It is the only known train car specifically designed for transporting canoes and kayaks. [22]
In 1977, the railway purchased four RAm/DE train sets retired from the Trans Europ Express by the Dutch and Swiss railways, for use on its Northlander train. However, the experiment was not entirely successful. The locomotives were scrapped in 1984, although the passenger cars survived until the early 1990s. These surviving passenger cars were pulled by rebuilt Canadian locomotives (EMD FP7). The rear end of the locomotives was altered to fit to original cars. With the Canadian locomotives, the control car / DVT lost their function.
Many passenger cars used on ONR trains today are former single-level GO Transit cars that were extensively refurbished after being used for commuter service around Toronto.
In 2004, Ontario Northland purchased ten passenger cars, including dome cars, from BC Rail and has used some of them on the Polar Bear Express service between Cochrane and Moosonee.
Swastika is a small community founded around a mine site in Northern Ontario, Canada in 1908. Today it is within the municipal boundaries of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
Moosonee is a town in northern Ontario, Canada, on the Moose River approximately 19 km (12 mi) south of James Bay. It is considered to be "the Gateway to the Arctic" and has Ontario's only saltwater port. Nearby, on Moose Factory Island, is the community of Moose Factory to which it is connected by water taxi in the summer and ice road in the winter.
Cochrane is a town in northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Kapuskasing, northeast of Timmins, south of Moosonee, and north of Iroquois Falls. It is about a one-hour drive from Timmins and Kapuskasing, the other two major population centres of the region. It is the seat of Cochrane District. The town's population is made up of about half anglophone and half francophone residents.
The Polar Bear Express is a Canadian passenger train operated by the Ontario Northland Railway in Northern Ontario. Service was introduced in 1964. While designated as a passenger train, the Polar Bear Express also carries freight and is equipped with specialized equipment including boxcars for canoes, snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles. There are also baggage and express cars. In the past a special car existed for canoes but now these are carried in regular boxcars.
Englehart is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on the Blanche River in the Timiskaming District.
Washago station is a passenger railway station in the community of Washago, Ontario, Canada, part of the Township of Severn in northeastern Simcoe County. The station is located immediately south of Simcoe County Road 169, east of Highway 11.
The Northlander was a passenger train operated by the provincially-owned Ontario Northland Railway in southern and northeastern Ontario, Canada. In 2012, rail service was discontinued and replaced with express bus service. Rail service will be reinstated in the mid-2020s with an expanded route, greater frequency, new Siemens Venture trainsets manufactured by Siemens Mobility, and various track and station upgrades. The new bi-directional route will run up to seven days a week from Toronto Union Station to Timmins, with an additional new rail connection from Timmins to Cochrane and express bus service from Matheson to Cochrane Station.
The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC), or simply Ontario Northland, is a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario responsible for providing transportation services for passengers and goods in Northern Ontario. It reports to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario through the Minister of Transportation.
Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services is an intercity bus service operated by the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a Crown agency of the government of Ontario, Canada. Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services operates passenger and parcel transportation service in northern Ontario, with additional routes connecting northern Ontario to the Greater Toronto Area, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.
Gravenhurst station is a railway station located in the town of Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada. It was a stop for Northlander trains of the Ontario Northland Railway before that service was discontinued in 2012.
Bracebridge station is a railway station located in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada. The station was a stop for Ontario Northland Railway's Northlander passenger trains until Northlander service was discontinued on September 28, 2012. Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services maintains a stop at the nearby Riverside Inn for inter-city busses.
Huntsville station is located in the town of Huntsville, Ontario.
South River Railway Station is located in the community of South River in Ontario. The station was originally constructed by the Northern and Pacific Junction Railway, a subsidiary of the Northern and Northwestern Railway, in 1884. It was subsequently owned and operated by the Grand Trunk Railway and Canadian National Railways. It was a significant station stop along the historic route connecting Toronto to North Bay, and the Canadian Pacific Railway (1885). Transcontinental trains traveling between Toronto and Vancouver once frequented the station. It is likely the oldest wooden railway station in north-eastern Ontario. It is now a community heritage building in the town of South River.
Temagami station is a railway station in Temagami, Ontario, Canada.
New Liskeard station is a former railway and bus station in the community of New Liskeard, part of the city of Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north end of Jaffray Street, across from the west entrance of Spruce Avenue.
Englehart station is located in the town of Englehart, Ontario, Canada. It was a station stop for Northlander trains of Ontario Northland before service was discontinued in 2012. In 2021 the Government of Ontario announced plans to restore service using ONR from this station north to either Timminis or Cochrane by the mid 2020s. The modern two-storey station replaced an earlier station. Englehart was the halfway point for the Ontario Northland and served as the engineer swap-out point. The Building itself houses all the signal services for the Northern route. Englehart maintains a locomotive engine to be running 24/7 in case of an emergency on both side of Englehart, same with Cochrane and North Bay respectably. Englehart also has 11 storage tracks and a machine shop for repairs.
Swastika station is a bus stop and former railway station located in the community of Swastika, Ontario, Canada. The railway station was established in 1908 along the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway, now the Ontario Northland Railway line. The site of the former station continues to be served as a flag stop for intercity bus routes operated by Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services.
Matheson station is located in the township of Black River-Matheson in Ontario, Canada.
Cochrane station is an inter-city railway and bus station located in the town of Cochrane, Ontario Canada operated by the Ontario Northland Railway (ONR). It is the southern terminus of the Polar Bear Express service to Moosonee and former northern terminus of the discontinued Northlander route. The station is located in downtown Cochrane, south of the intersection of Railway Street and 7th Avenue. Its main entrance faces north to Railway Street. South of the station building, trains call at a low level platform adjacent to the ONR Island Falls Subdivision.
Moosonee station is a railway station in Moosonee, Ontario, Canada operated by the Ontario Northland Railway. It is the northern terminus of Ontario Northland's Polar Bear Express, located about 12 miles south of the shore of James Bay on the north bank of the Moose River. It consists of a single storey station building, sheds, and a small train yard.
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 675 miles (1,086 km) mainline track
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 24 active locomotives.
51,189 passenger trips were fulfilled on the Polar Bear Express passenger train between Cochrane and Moosonee.