[micheal_can]

Highway 17 rehabilitation project brings $53M to Algoma

Nearly 17 kilometres of Highway 17 from Echo Bay to Highway 548 are being rehabilitated at the cost of $53 million.

www.saultstar.com

The article is about more than just passenger rail, but I thought I would share an excerpt that would interest this discussion group.

That reads like they may add something such as SSM - Sudbury - North Bay/Toronto. If that is the case, are they looking to buy the HCR and OVR, or will they just spend to upgrade them. Regardless, I am not holding my breath of anything more than the return of the Northlander.

 

[lenaitch]

I thought they already handed it over. If that is the case, I wonder if that is when ONR will use their engines for the existing freight on it.

Nope. There is still CN power, MOW vehicles, etc. around so that why I asked. Apparently ONR made the final payment around the time the government did the presser, but the 'closing date' is September, for whatever set of reasons.

(Note" forgot to hit 'post' the other day.)

 

[lenaitch]

Highway 17 rehabilitation project brings $53M to Algoma

Nearly 17 kilometres of Highway 17 from Echo Bay to Highway 548 are being rehabilitated at the cost of $53 million.

www.saultstar.com

The article is about more than just passenger rail, but I thought I would share an excerpt that would interest this discussion group.

Words are free, and a savvy politician learns that they can equate action in a short-term memory, soundbite world.

 

[micheal_can]

Words are free, and a savvy politician learns that they can equate action in a short-term memory, soundbite world.

A local MP says to extend the Budd car service to North Bay.
The Minister of Transport says that there are passenger rail opportunities in Northern ON.

Words are cheap, but if they do not get acted on can cause issues for the elected officials. Remember SSM did vote in a PC, so it is in the government's best interest to look like they care. The next election, they will want to replace the former PC, now Independent with a PC. So, the politicking will continue. If the words are more than just a comment, I'd expect that something will be announced after the Northlander is operational, but before the next election in 2030, or as a platform for that election. Right now, it is just noise.

 

[DatTranzitGuy]

They should give these ticket counters to Ontario northland for when the northlander service returns

 

[McGillicuddy]

Goodness. Imagine spending sixty gajillion dollars on station renovations and leaving the floors in that state.

 

[lenaitch]

A local MP says to extend the Budd car service to North Bay.
The Minister of Transport says that there are passenger rail opportunities in Northern ON.

Words are cheap, but if they do not get acted on can cause issues for the elected officials. Remember SSM did vote in a PC, so it is in the government's best interest to look like they care. The next election, they will want to replace the former PC, now Independent with a PC. So, the politicking will continue. If the words are more than just a comment, I'd expect that something will be announced after the Northlander is operational, but before the next election in 2030, or as a platform for that election. Right now, it is just noise.

I highly doubt who wins a federal or provincial riding will rise or fall on the issue of passenger rail service. There are all sorts of topics in a party's election platform, but it doesn't necessarily translate into policy.

Unless the MP is a member of the party in power, it's always noise. If the member is a member of the party in power but not in Cabinet, it's still just noise. For the VIA service, it would take Cabinet to decide that a 'remote' service should be extended into a non-remote market, and then fund it. How many additions to VIA service - new routes or extension, not frequency - have been made in the last couple of decades?

I suspect that the Ontario Minister of Transport would weep if he saw a pricetag to improve the track conditions between SSM and Sudbury necessary to make a viable (and comfortable) passenger service, let alone the operating and lease costs.

 

[micheal_can]

I highly doubt who wins a federal or provincial riding will rise or fall on the issue of passenger rail service. There are all sorts of topics in a party's election platform, but it doesn't necessarily translate into policy.

Unless the MP is a member of the party in power, it's always noise. If the member is a member of the party in power but not in Cabinet, it's still just noise. For the VIA service, it would take Cabinet to decide that a 'remote' service should be extended into a non-remote market, and then fund it. How many additions to VIA service - new routes or extension, not frequency - have been made in the last couple of decades?

I suspect that the Ontario Minister of Transport would weep if he saw a pricetag to improve the track conditions between SSM and Sudbury necessary to make a viable (and comfortable) passenger service, let alone the operating and lease costs.

Hence why I am not holding my breath on anything.

 

[micheal_can]

Goodness. Imagine spending sixty gajillion dollars on station renovations and leaving the floors in that state.

That would be like suggesting you put a laminate floor down over hardwood in a historic home. That floor is original to the station. Tearing it up would be a shame.

 

[ShonTron]

I highly doubt who wins a federal or provincial riding will rise or fall on the issue of passenger rail service. There are all sorts of topics in a party's election platform, but it doesn't necessarily translate into policy.

Unless the MP is a member of the party in power, it's always noise. If the member is a member of the party in power but not in Cabinet, it's still just noise. For the VIA service, it would take Cabinet to decide that a 'remote' service should be extended into a non-remote market, and then fund it. How many additions to VIA service - new routes or extension, not frequency - have been made in the last couple of decades?

I suspect that the Ontario Minister of Transport would weep if he saw a pricetag to improve the track conditions between SSM and Sudbury necessary to make a viable (and comfortable) passenger service, let alone the operating and lease costs.

North Bay-Nipissing might be an exception but that’s largely because Ontario Northland has a large presence there with its freight yard, shops, and headquarters there. Restoring passenger rail helps to boost confidence in the operation as a whole. Elsewhere offering one train a day wouldn’t matter too much in a riding.

 

[micheal_can]

North Bay-Nipissing might be an exception but that’s largely because Ontario Northland has a large presence there with its freight yard, shops, and headquarters there. Restoring passenger rail helps to boost confidence in the operation as a whole. Elsewhere offering one train a day wouldn’t matter too much in a riding.

Id argue that adding a daily train SSM - Sudbury - North Bay/Toronto is akin to the ALTO as far as being transformative to the area it will serve. Just yesterday, in beautiful weather we had 3 highway closures and some, if not all involved death. Having said that some ridings will never go PC, so it can be ignored. The thing that sticks out in my mind is who said it. It wasn't a back bencher. It wasn't any of the opposition party members. It also was not just any cabinet minister. It was the minister in charge of the file. That would be the same as if in Calgary Steven MacKinnon said the same thing. Everyone would be assuming Via would be returning.

​

 

[micheal_can]

On Facebook, in many groups, people are posting about the refurbished GO train making its way back to Toronto to return to service. When I see that, I wonder why the province would ever waste the time to find another place for them to be refurbished.The Government owns the North Bay shops. They do good work.It stabilizes jobs in the ONR.

 

[Bordercollie]

On Facebook, in many groups, people are posting about the refurbished GO train making its way back to Toronto to return to service. When I see that, I wonder why the province would ever waste the time to find another place for them to be refurbished.The Government owns the North Bay shops. They do good work.It stabilizes jobs in the ONR.

So sending them to CAD in Quebec wouldnt be supporting our economy?

 

[nfitz]

So sending them to CAD in Quebec wouldnt be supporting our economy?

Does it matter? If ONR is the low bidder, what's the issue here?

 

[Bordercollie]

Does it matter? If ONR is the low bidder, what's the issue here?

That's not what I said. You make it seem like ONLY sending it to ONR supports our economy.