by Ken V
matthew on Mon, Apr 16, 01 at 9:51 wrote: there is a rumour that VIA is going to take over the Northlander. If this is true what equipment will be used ? will they use the ex-go transit cars or will VIA use their budd cars. i think VIA will repaint their old ex-cn equipment (in the VIA blue and yellow )that they sold to ONR. Any thoughts ?
Eric on Mon, Apr 16, 01 at 15:03 wrote: Doubtful that VIA will take over the Northlander. I doubt that train is profitable so I do not see VIA running to the rescue. Why would a crown corporation get rid of something only to be taken over by another crown? It's like changing a toonie for two loonies.
Ori Siegel on Mon, Apr 16, 01 at 20:02 wrote: The nature of the two crown corporations, the one provincial and the other federal, makes a difference. That and the attitude towards the services provided by their respective companies.
Ontario Northland Transportation is comprised of rail, road and marine operations. Regarding the rail and road operations; they literally compete against each other on the Toronto-North Bay route.
The downgrading of the rail service in favour of the bus service has been obvious for years. The rail service has become so inconvenient that there are often less than two dozen people aboard, including the crew. Stations north of North Bay have been closed with no alternate provisions for passengers (such as shelters against the cold, etc.). The timetable is screwed up beyond belief with the northbound train being an overnight service without any of the on-board amenities one usually associates with such a service. Arrival time in Cochrane is 5:00 a.m.! The morning departure from Cochrane (6:05) makes for an evening arrival in Toronto.
A consultant group, that is to say people hired to provide statistics to back up a previously decided policy, managed to note that the service wasn't viable. DUH. Further, they feel absolutely certain that everyone turfed from the trains will naturally switch to the bus. There is no evidence of this ever happening anywhere else that bus service was an alternative to cancelled trains.
VIA Rail Canada, OTOH, is a company created exclusively to run passenger trains. Whether or not the Toronto-Cochrane route interests VIA is not known. If it does, the profitability of the service is not the issue; public necessity is. Frankly, if the route were profitable, Ontario Northland would keep it. So the question will be, "does taking over this route serve the public interest?" If the answer is yes, then there may be a chance of this happening. In the event, never let it be said that VIA runs trains willingly!
Time will tell.
