Northlander

{{redirect|The Northlander|the 2016 film|The Northlander (film)}}

{{Infobox rail line

| name = Northlander

| image = Northlander_at_Englehart_2008_12_21.jpg

| caption = The Northlander at Englehart station.

| type = Inter-city rail

| system = Ontario Northland Railway

| status = Discontinued

| locale = Ontario, Canada

| start = Toronto Union Station

| end = Cochrane

| stations = 14

| open = {{Start date and age|1976}}

| close = September 28, 2012

| reopen = 2026 (planned)

| operator = Ontario Northland Railway

| tracklength = {{cvt|776|km}}

| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}

| map = {{Northlander}}

| map_state = show

}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=Trains will soon be running again between Toronto and Northern Ontario. But first, they're going in the freezer |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/01/09/northlander-trains-will-be-returning-to-service-between-toronto-and-northern-ontario-where-winters-are-bitterly-cold-heres-how-they-are-being-tested-before-they-start-making-the-trips.html |access-date=9 January 2023 |website=thestar.com |language=en |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109110234/https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2023/01/09/northlander-trains-will-be-returning-to-service-between-toronto-and-northern-ontario-where-winters-are-bitterly-cold-heres-how-they-are-being-tested-before-they-start-making-the-trips.html |archive-date=9 January 2023}}{{Cite web |title=Northlander Passenger Rail Updates {{!}} Ontario Northland |url=https://www.ontarionorthland.ca/en/northlander-passenger-rail-updates |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=www.ontarionorthland.ca}} 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 (where passengers can then connect directly to the Polar Bear Express at Cochrane Station) and express bus service from Matheson to Cochrane Station.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-15 |title=Ontario Advances Northlander Service Revival |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/commuterregional/ontario-advances-northlander-service-revival/ |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=Railway Age |language=en-US}}

Prior to 2012, 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.

Plans to resume rail service

Prior to the 2018 Ontario general election, Doug Ford promised to restore the service.{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2018 |title=Ford promises new Northlander to Nipissing voters |url=https://www.northbaynipissing.com/politics/provincial-elections/ford-promises-new-northlander-to-nipissing-voters/article_4f1f0c2e-5ccd-5a57-a9f1-20a5289858d5.html |access-date=February 5, 2021 |publisher=Metroland Media Group}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://files.ontario.ca/mto-northern-ontario-transportation-plan-en-2020-12-10.pdf|title=Draft Transportation Plan for Northern Ontario|publisher=Ministry of Transportation|date=December 10, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2021}} although no timeline was provided.

In May 2021, the provincial government announced plans for Ontario Northland and Metrolinx to resume rail operations between Toronto and northeastern Ontario with a 13-stop route to begin service by the mid-2020s. The route would provide service from Toronto to Timmins or Cochrane and would be available between four and seven days a week, based on seasonal travel demands.{{cite news |title=Passenger rail service in northeastern Ontario to return by mid-2020s |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ontario-northland-passenger-rail-2025-1.6039373 |access-date=May 5, 2021 |work=CBC News |date=May 5, 2021}} Two of the proposed stations, Gormley and Langstaff, are not ONR stations from the original Northlander route but they are serving GO Transit Richmond Hill line. Stations south of North Bay to Washago and south of Cochrane would need to be restored as they have either become inactive or adapted for other uses.

In April 2022, Ontario's Progressive Conservative government announced it has earmarked $75 million to restore the Northlander passenger rail service to northeastern Ontario. President and CEO of Ontario Northland Corina Moore said the money will be split over the next three years. She said it will look after passenger coaches, infrastructure and stations. The province said it continues to eye an in-service date of 2025. They said that the service will be offered on seasonal travel demands and will range from four and seven days a week between northern Ontario and Toronto.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/sudbury-northlander-investment-announcement-1.6415144|title=Return of Northlander train service could include new connection to Cochrane, Ont.|author=Sam Juric|website=CBC News|date=11 April 2022}}

On December 15, 2022, the Government of Ontario announced that it had purchased three trainsets from Siemens Mobility for use on the Northlander, each comprising a Charger locomotive, two Venture coaches, and a cab car operating in a push-pull configuration on trains between Toronto and Timmins.{{Cite web |title=Ontario Newsroom |url=https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002600/ontario-taking-next-steps-to-bring-back-northeastern-passenger-rail |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=news.ontario.ca}}

By December 2023, further details became known. The trip from Toronto to Cochrane on the restored Northlander is expected take 10 hours and 40 minutes. Trains would leave Cochrane in the evening, and return in the evening or overnight. Station along the route would be slightly different from the pre-2012 service; the 16 stops would be Union Station, Langstaff, Gormley, Washago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River, North Bay, Temagami, Temiskaming Shores, Englehart, Kirkland Lake/Swastika, Matheson, Timmins, and Cochrane. Cobalt was the only station from the original Northlander route that was not included as a new stop for the resumed service.{{cite news|url=https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/cobalt-urged-to-lobby-for-northlander-passenger-train-stop-6594556|title=Cobalt urged to lobby for Northlander passenger train stop|last=Wroe|first=Darlene|work=Bay Today|date=February 24, 2023|accessdate=July 7, 2024}} Northbound trains would have a layover in Timmins before proceeding to Cochrane, but an optional express bus service would be available. Instead of a dining car, the new Northlander would have seat service for food and beverages. Ridership by 2041 is expected to be 60,000 per year.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/northlander-trains-are-poised-to-make-a-return-and-will-offer-travel-to-cottage-country/article_0e37ad0e-9f5b-11ee-b14c-4f5346f1312f.html |title=Northlander trains are poised to make a return — and will offer travel to cottage country and beyond. Here's what you need to know |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=2023-12-28 |df=mdy-all}}

Stations

The Northlander made scheduled stops at the following stations:

↓↓↓↓		CITY / TOWN		↑↑↑↑	NOTES
class="wikitable"
08:40	DP	Toronto (Union Station)	AR	19:15	Connections to Via Rail, GO Transit & Amtrak
10:25		Washago		16:30	Connections to Via Rail's The Canadian
10:50		Gravenhurst		16:10
11:05		Bracebridge		15:55
11:40		Huntsville		15:30
12:35		South River		14:40
13:50	AR	North Bay	DP	13:35	Connections to Ontario Northland, Greyhound Canada and other intercity bus operators.
14:05	DP	North Bay	AR	13:25
15:35		Temagami		11:50
16:20		Cobalt		11:05
16:35		New Liskeard		10:50	Ontario Northland bus stop until 2016
17:05		Englehart		10:20	ONR storage facility and repair shops
17:45		Swastika		09:40	Ontario Northland bus stop
18:30		Matheson		08:55	Transfer point for bus service to Timmins and South Porcupine, Ontario
18:55		Porquis Junction		08:20
19:25	AR	Cochrane	DP	08:00	Connections to Polar Bear Express to Moosonee, Ontario (as southern terminus)

Image:Temagami station.jpg

Image:Cochrane Ontario.jpg

=Former stations=

Service to Barrie and Orillia ended in 1992 when the Northlander was rerouted to the Bala subdivision. Before the former TEE trainsets were retired, Barrie and Orillia were typically served in one direction only to avoid turning the train in Toronto; routing a giant loop around Lake Simcoe. Newer ex-GO Transit cars were bi-directional. That corresponding section of the Newmarket subdivision was abandoned, then tracks removed by the Canadian National Railway in 1996. The old line is now Oro-Medonte Rail Trail, Barrie North Shore Trail and Barrie Waterfront Heritage Trail.

Station	Location	Notes
class="wikitable"
old Barrie Station	Located just north of Allandale Waterfront GO Station	Station has been restored for non transportation reuse
Orillia station	150 Front Street South	Re-purposed for commercial space.{{Cite web\|url=https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-news/former-orillia-train-station-will-become-venue-to-showcase-locomotive-history-3553481\|title = Former Orillia train station will become venue to showcase locomotive history\| date=20 March 2021 }}

''Dream Catcher Express''

The Dream Catcher Express was a seasonal passenger rail service that ran annually over a period of six days from the end of September to the beginning of October. It operated between {{stn|North Bay}} and {{stn|Temagami}} along the same route as the Northlander.

Train sets consisted of several single deck cars, a 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

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090204015204/http://ontarionorthland.ca/en/railpassenger/northlander/northlander.html Official Website] for the former Northlander service discontinued in 2012
[https://www.ontarionorthland.ca/en/northlander-passenger-rail-updates Northlander Passenger Rail Updates] for the future reinstatement of the Northlander
[https://web.archive.org/web/20091227203530/http://www.ontarionorthland.ca/en/railpassenger/dcx/dreamcatcher.html Dream Catcher Express]
[http://neorn.ca/ Northeastern Ontario Rail Network]
[http://www.gorailnorth.com/ Committee Promoting Muskoka Rail Travel]
[https://ontario.transportaction.ca Transport Action Ontario]

Category:Ontario Northland Railway

Category:Named passenger trains of Ontario

Category:Cochrane, Ontario

Category:Railway services introduced in 1976

Category:Passenger rail transport in Toronto

Category:Rail transport in Simcoe County

Category:Rail transport in the District Municipality of Muskoka

Category:Rail transport in Bracebridge, Ontario

Category:History of rail transport in Parry Sound District

Category:History of rail transport in Nipissing District

Category:Rail transport in North Bay, Ontario

Category:Rail transport in Temagami

Category:Rail transport in Timiskaming District

Category:Transport in Cobalt, Ontario

Category:Transport in Temiskaming Shores

Category:Rail transport in Cochrane District

Category:Transport in Cochrane, Ontario

Category:Railway services discontinued in 2012