[reaperexpress]

Does Northland have physical kiosks at Yorkdale, Highway 407, or the Ottawa train station?

According to their website, they have ticket agents at Union, Yorkdale and Ottawa, but not 407. I have no idea what the ticketing is that they're referring to at Ottawa, ONTC definitely doesn't have a desk there. Maybe Via Rail is an authorized vendor for ONTC tickets and you just buy them at the Via Rail counter. A quick internet search for "Termico" doesn't turn up any relevant results other than the Ontario Northland website.

 

[lenaitch]

I'm not sure I get Chad's assertion that the purchase of the Newmarket sub will prevent Northlander from getting stuck behind a freight, given the low traffic on the line. The only thing I can think of is the current n/b daily freight is a late afternoon/evening run (time u/k) and so is the n/b Northlander, departing Toronto at 1830. I suppose if it runs up against the freight once on the Newmarket sub they can make it 'take the hole' since they will be dispatching. It would need to be near a passing track, of which there are now very few.

 

[micheal_can]

I'm not sure I get Chad's assertion that the purchase of the Newmarket sub will prevent Northlander from getting stuck behind a freight, given the low traffic on the line. The only thing I can think of is the current n/b daily freight is a late afternoon/evening run (time u/k) and so is the n/b Northlander, departing Toronto at 1830. I suppose if it runs up against the freight once on the Newmarket sub they make it 'take the hole' since they will be dispatching. It would need to be near a passing track, of which there are now very few.

To me, the problem isn't the Newmarket sub when it comes to traffic. It is the section south of it to the double track that is the issue.

 

[StreetcarRider]

After so much negative messaging about Alto, it's nice to read a positive opinion piece about the Northlander's return and its many hoped-for benefits:

The Northlander: A Muskoka local’s guide to mindful travel

The Ontario Northland Northlander passenger train is returning to Ontario. Discover how the rail service impacts travel, road salt pollution, and local transit.

www.muskokaregion.com

 

[lenaitch]

After so much negative messaging about Alto, it's nice to read a positive opinion piece about the Northlander's return and it's many hoped-for benefits:

The Northlander: A Muskoka local’s guide to mindful travel

The Ontario Northland Northlander passenger train is returning to Ontario. Discover how the rail service impacts travel, road salt pollution, and local transit.

www.muskokaregion.com

Nice article, but I fail to see their connection between increased train travel and a potential reduce in road salt usage.

The 'last mile' is an issue. For seasonal residents, if your place is on a non-municipal road, no transit is ever going to service it, so your last mile might be on the side of the road or a taxi/private shuttle. Resorts, lodges, outfitters, etc. might see an opportunity to initiate a shuttle service for the train.

 

[crs1026]

Nice article, but I fail to see their connection between increased train travel and a potential reduce in road salt usage.

The 'last mile' is an issue. For seasonal residents, if your place is on a non-municipal road, no transit is ever going to service it, so your last mile might be on the side of the road or a taxi/private shuttle. Resorts, lodges, outfitters, etc. might see an opportunity to initiate a shuttle service for the train.

I am a lot happier with arguments based on more practical matters than road salt or carbon.
Google tells me that there are 47,500 residential dwellings in the District of Muskoka proper. About half are seasonal - although many of these may be suitable for year round occupancy. That’s a valid market even for less than weekly commuting.
I doubt we will ever see Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, or Mitch Marner riding the Northlander - but the number of Muskoka folks who need to go to Toronto once in a while, and have no desire to drive if it’s avoidable, represent a valid market.
One wonders if it would be a ripe market for Uber - a once a day fare is not going to entice anyone to offer ride sharing, and certainly not regular feeder transit. But as noted for resorts offering a shuttle it might be attractive.

- Paul

 

[StreetcarRider]

Nice article, but I fail to see their connection between increased train travel and a potential reduce in road salt usage.

The 'last mile' is an issue. For seasonal residents, if your place is on a non-municipal road, no transit is ever going to service it, so your last mile might be on the side of the road or a taxi/private shuttle. Resorts, lodges, outfitters, etc. might see an opportunity to initiate a shuttle service for the train.

I am a lot happier with arguments based on more practical matters than road salt or carbon.
Google tells me that there are 47,500 residential dwellings in the District of Muskoka proper. About half are seasonal - although many of these may be suitable for year round occupancy. That’s a valid market even for less than weekly commuting.
I doubt we will ever see Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, or Mitch Marner riding the Northlander - but the number of Muskoka folks who need to go to Toronto once in a while, and have no desire to drive if it’s avoidable, represent a valid market.
One wonders if it would be a ripe market for Uber - a once a day fare is not going to entice anyone to offer ride sharing, and certainly not regular feeder transit. But as noted for resorts offering a shuttle it might be attractive.

- Paul

Official Government of Ontario policy for the last mile issue raised by the Northlander is: ride share.

Northlander Rideshare Pilot Framework  | Environmental Registry of Ontario

ero.ontario.ca

Lots of people are skeptical about how that's going to work. Among other things, the taxi industry points out that they have expertise navigating local backroads in the dark and in the wintertime.

The enabling regulations came into force just last week, which is interesting, because the Northlander service isn't running yet.

e-Laws | Ontario.ca

www.ontario.ca

 

[micheal_can]

The last mile is going to be solved how it always has been solved....You had to figure that out on your own. The good thing is now there are more options. What would be ideal is if for all the places the Northlander serves that already has local transit, even if outside their normal operating hows, they have a special shuttle, kind of like a dial a bus like thing. One bus circulating to get people home.

 

[lenaitch]

I am a lot happier with arguments based on more practical matters than road salt or carbon.
Google tells me that there are 47,500 residential dwellings in the District of Muskoka proper. About half are seasonal - although many of these may be suitable for year round occupancy. That’s a valid market even for less than weekly commuting.
I doubt we will ever see Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, or Mitch Marner riding the Northlander - but the number of Muskoka folks who need to go to Toronto once in a while, and have no desire to drive if it’s avoidable, represent a valid market.
One wonders if it would be a ripe market for Uber - a once a day fare is not going to entice anyone to offer ride sharing, and certainly not regular feeder transit. But as noted for resorts offering a shuttle it might be attractive.

- Paul

I squinted at your numbers by it seems Google is right (go figure). According to the District government, it has a seasonal population of about 84,400 alongside a permanent population of about 66,700 (not counting day trippers, resort guests, etc.). Having lived up there years ago, I would have thought it skewed higher to seasonal, but I lived and worked in Muskoka Lakes Twp. which lacks the larger communities and is more skewed (~7700 permanent/27000 seasonal.

Official Government of Ontario policy for the last mile issue raised by the Northlander is: ride share.

Interesting. It's a pilot project regulation expiring in 2027. They seem to want to regulate a business area they have traditionally left to the municipalities and after pretty much walking away from most other public transportation regulation.

I am skeptical of its success. North Bay and Timmins have URide and I really don't see the business model for most other places, especially the likes of South River, Matheson and Temagami for two trains per day (in the middle of the night in some cases).

One wording I found interesting was Section 24, restricting unregulated rideshares at "Ontario Northland station premises". Seeing as most of their station stops other than North Bay, Englehart, Timmins and Cochrane are not ONR property, I see a loophole should someone wish to challenge it.

 

[Allandale25]

Via the Discord server Global Transit & Infrastructure Server and the Railways in Canada thread, shelter construction work at Washago. Posted by 161 Rogers Road - YLK/YYZ.

 

[Bordercollie]

Via the Discord server Global Transit & Infrastructure Server and the Railways in Canada thread, shelter construction work at Washago. Posted by 161 Rogers Road - YLK/YYZ.

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It's better than the one VIA had.

 

[just east of the creek]

I was in Gravenhurst on my way north. There is a lovely heritage station and then there is a sign for the Northlander in an adjacent unofficial parking area that has been there for years. No sign of a Northlander ‘station’.

The same holds for further north in Southriver, except no ‘Northlander’ sign was to be found, although again their is a very functional longstanding station. My friend grinned at me when I asked and remarked that there seemed to be more excitement in Toronto then there was in SR, and that if they wanted to make the train faster, it might be of more use…...

(I gather the Northlander will not travel at speeds coming close to the train set’s capability)

 

[Bordercollie]

I was in Gravenhurst on my way north. There is a lovely heritage station and then there is a sign for the Northlander in an adjacent unofficial parking area that has been there for years. No sign of a Northlander ‘station’.

The same holds for further north in Southriver, except no ‘Northlander’ sign was to be found, although again their is a very functional longstanding station. My friend grinned at me when I asked and remarked that there seemed to be more excitement in Toronto then there was in SR, and that if they wanted to make the train faster, it might be of more use…...

(I gather the Northlander will not travel at speeds coming close to the train set’s capability)

View attachment 741278View attachment 741279

The only place that these trains can stretch their legs is on the VIA corridor and currently they have to slow for crossings (unless it's a J train).
Just be happy that they didn't get used or refurbished rolling stock.

Riding in the cab car is going to suck with all of the road crossings and the horn going off all the way. Ear plugs are recommended.