Northlander

The Northlander was a passenger train operated by the Ontario Northland Railway in Ontario, Canada.

For the Vertigo comic book, see Northlanders.
Northlander
Northlander at Englehart railway station
Overview
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleOntario, Canada
TerminiToronto Union Station
Cochrane
Stations14
Service
TypeInter-city rail
SystemOntario Northland Railway
Operator(s)Ontario Northland Railway
History
Opened1976
ClosedSeptember 28, 2012
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map
10:45 Cochrane
 9:50 Matheson
 9:05 Swastika
 8:25 Englehart
 7:55 New Liskeard
 7:40 Cobalt
 6:55 Temagami
 5:10 North Bay
 3:55 South River
 3:00 Huntsville
 2:25 Bracebridge
 2:10 Gravenhurst
 1:45 Washago
0:00 Toronto

The Northlander operated six days per week year-round in both directions and connected Cochrane with Toronto. The train typically consisted of one engine, an auxiliary power unit, two coaches and a cafeteria lounge car. It ran on ONR tracks from Cochrane to North Bay and on CN tracks south of North Bay to Toronto.

In March 2012, the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission announced plans to discontinue the Northlander and replace it with bus service (Routes 1 and 2).[1] The final train ran on September 28, 2012.[2] To push for the service's restoration, an advocacy group called All Aboard Northern Ontario was formed in October 2017.[3]

Prior to the 2018 Ontario general election, Doug Ford promised to restore the service.[4]. Ontario Northland prepared a business plan and submitted it to the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario in late 2019, and the resumption of the service was mentioned in the province's Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario published in December 2020,[5] although no timeline was provided.

Stations

The Northlander made scheduled stops at the following stations:

↓↓↓↓CITY / TOWN↑↑↑↑NOTES
08:40DPToronto (Union Station)AR19:15Connections to Via Rail, GO Transit & Amtrak
10:25Washago16:30Connections to Via Rail's The Canadian
10:50Gravenhurst16:10
11:05Bracebridge15:55
11:40Huntsville15:30
12:35South River14:40
13:50ARNorth BayDP13:35Connections to Ontario Northland, Greyhound Canada and other intercity bus operators.
14:05DPNorth BayAR13:25
15:35Temagami11:50
16:20Cobalt11:05
16:35New Liskeard10:50Ontario Northland bus stop until 2016
17:05Englehart10:20ONR storage facility and repair shops
17:45Swastika09:40Ontario Northland bus stop
18:30Matheson08:55Transfer point for bus service to Timmins and South Porcupine, Ontario
18:55Porquis Junction08:20
19:25ARCochraneDP08:00Connections to Polar Bear Express to Moosonee, Ontario (as southern terminus)
Temagami railway station
Cochrane railway station

Former stations
  • Service to Barrie and Orillia Ontario ended in 1992 when the Northlander was rerouted to the Bala subdivision. That corresponding section of the Newmarket subdivision was abandoned, then removed by the Canadian National Railway in 1996.

Dream Catcher Express

Dream Catcher Express was a seasonal train route that ran over six days at the end of September - beginning of October between North Bay railway station to Temagami railway station along the Northlander route.

Train sets consisted of several single deck cars, dining car and a dome car.

The service was by reservation only and provided one run per day. Trains departed in the morning and returned in the early evening. The Dream Catcher Express allowed passengers to view the fall colours in Northern Ontario.

This service, along with the Northlander, ended in 2012.

References
  1. Message from ONTC Chair Ted Hargreaves, March 23, 2012
  2. Notice posted on Ontario Northland Railway website on September 25 2012
  3. "Passenger Rail Advocates Urging Northlander Restoration". Northern Ontario Business. October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  4. "Ford promises new Northlander to Nipissing voters". Metroland Media. May 4, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  5. "Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario" (PDF). Ministry of Transportation. December 10, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.


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