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Ontario Northland/Northern Ontario Transportation
- Thread starter CDL.TO
- Start date
micheal_can
Senior Member
When they bring back the Northlander, could this be part of it?
Bordercollie
Senior Member
They would need one per trainset so that's unlikely.
micheal_can
Senior Member
I thought it was 1 train a day.
Bordercollie
Senior Member
In each direction so depending on the schedule it may require two trainsets.
micheal_can
Senior Member
It used to do the round trip in 1 day with 1 train.
lenaitch
Senior Member
So long as they only have one, it probably has somewhat better 'value' on a train with more tourists (it only runs in the summer). Maybe once they sort out the Northlander trainset(s); maybe. I couldn't find out what's 'down below' of Otter Rapids; it might not be a good use of space for what will likely be a relatively short consist.
Good that they are moving it inside. It apparently leaks around the dome glazing.
Good that they are moving it inside. It apparently leaks around the dome glazing.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
According to the latest business case it’s 2 trains that will be used. 1 train makes for some bad schedules.
smallspy
Senior Member
It used to offer daily service with one train by running southbound during the day, and northbound at night. And they got rid of it when ridership plummeted.
I think that the intention with this new service it to make it actually viable to people to use, so that kind of schedule isn't a good idea.
Dan
There were two separate trains at one point. I used to take it regularly. The Northlander with dining car and compartment cars and the overnight train with sleeper cars. Somewhere in a giant box of old photos I have pictures of the different trains.
micheal_can
Senior Member
As I understand it, most people preferred it when they ran south overnight and north during the day. I have heard that is the plan that will return. Either way, only one train set was needed. That means using the Otter Rapids car would work.
You are talking about the ONR Northlander and the Via Northland.
smallspy
Senior Member
The Northlander was always the daytime train, and was launched with the arrival of the TEE equipment in the late 1970s.
The Northland was the overnight train, and was run as a joint operation with first CN and later VIA. I believe that it was killed off as part of the massive VIA cuts of January 1990.
No.....most people preferred it when it ran during the day in both directions. That's why ridership was higher like that, although so were costs.
Dan
micheal_can
Senior Member
Then it does make sense to have 2 train sets.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
The Updated Northlander IBC provides some excellent visuals of how 2 or 3 train set rotations would work based on two possible service patterns (page 87 and 88).
Option 1 would have a layover in Timmins, Option 2 in Cochrane. I suspect Option 2 might be be selected as it would serve passengers all the way to Cochrane, and avoid the need for a new layover in Timmins.
In Toronto, trains would layover at GO’s Willowbrook Yard.
Option 1 would have a layover in Timmins, Option 2 in Cochrane. I suspect Option 2 might be be selected as it would serve passengers all the way to Cochrane, and avoid the need for a new layover in Timmins.
In Toronto, trains would layover at GO’s Willowbrook Yard.
crs1026
Superstar
That’s odd because a check in @Urban Sky ’s wonderful timetable archive for 1996-2005 shows that it was the northbound train that ran at night. The southbound train ran in the daytime.
I only spotchecked a timetable every second year or so, so maybe it did run the way you suggest for a short time, but given the pattern in so many other years I can’t put much faith in your “most people” report.
I can somewhat understand the logic in a morning arrival in Toronto - if the intent is to serve a clientele that is coming to the city for medical and other appointments. But would that not demand northbound overnight return also ?
I worked with a province wide agency and have lots of experience with business meetings not starting until the early plane from Timmins got in, and having to end in time for folks to dash to the airport for their late afternoon flight But I doubt this clientele would be eager to spend a night on board and arrive all bleary after a coach ride in the dark. I would expect the most important timing for the biggest part of the market would be whatever is best fortravellers with time to spare - thus day and timed to connect with trains to southern ontario, so that the catchment is not just GTA. That argues for day trains on the traditional midday departure northwards and late afternoon arrival southwards.
If the cost of a second trainset is that much of a dealbreaker, the business case for this service is pretty thin.
- Paul
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