Canadian Railroads > Algoma Central Hearst train, cause for optimism?

The Federal Minister of Transport, Lisa Raitt, is scheduled to visit Sault Ste.Marie ON. to discuss the subsidy for the passenger train service between Sault Ste.Marie ON.

Although she has not announced what she is going to say, newspapers in the Sault say it is unlikely she would visit the community to announce the Canadian Government was not going to renew the operating subsidy.

The speculation is that she will announce a one year extension of the subsidy beyond the present end of service date of the end of April. This would be to allow "various agencies" time to seek funding to continue operating the train.

There is a Federal Election scheduled for 2015, and the speculation is that the funding will continue until that time.

Whether this funding will persuade voters to elect a Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency is a good question. It certainly will cause the Liberal or New Democrat candidates for the riding to pay attention to the issue.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/14 10:30 by eminence_grise.

Lets hope its true-lots of folks rely on that train!

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON

algoma11 Wrote:
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> Lets hope its true-lots of folks rely on that
> train!

Just read a trip-report on another forum about a railfan’s roundtrip between Sault Ste Marie and Hearst the end of March.

Said he was the only one aboard for the last 90 miles into Hearst but there had been a total of ten northbound for portions of the run including four snowmobilers who had put their machines aboard.

Southbound: Two made the complete run into the Sault.....with a total of four aboard on portions of the run.

This train like the Sudbury-White River Budd car run is determined by the season..
Anytime theres a transition between winter -summer there a bit of a drop off.

The snowmobile season is ending and the lodge-hunting-fishing season starts soon.

I've rode the train to Hearst lots of times in different seasons its always been decently if not well patronized.

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON

ghCBNS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> algoma11 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Lets hope its true-lots of folks rely on that
> > train!
>
> Just read a trip-report on another forum about a
> railfan’s roundtrip between Sault Ste Marie and
> Hearst the end of March.
>
> Said he was the only one aboard for the last 90
> miles into Hearst but there had been a total of
> ten northbound for portions of the run including
> four snowmobilers who had put their machines
> aboard.
>
> Southbound: Two made the complete run into the
> Sault.....with a total of four aboard on portions
> of the run.


Of course ridership will end up being the key tho I suspect this
time of the year is a little in-between seasons.

Bob

Looks like it official now.....the Hearst train will be around for another year.

It was announced by Federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt today:

http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/details.asp?c=71625

Thats good to hear!

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON

Little side question: The expression "riding" - is that like a legislator's district?

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

aronco Wrote:
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> Little side question: The expression "riding" -
> is that like a legislator's district?


Yes....it’s a Riding or Constituency.

Federally the representative would be a MP (Member of Parliament.

Provincially (here in Nova Scotia) the rep is an MLA or Member of the Legislative Assembly. In other provinces they are known as MPPs, MNAs, MHAs etc depending on what the Provincial Assembly is called.

If only there was a parallel effort for the ONR.
I once did a circle trip via ONR and CAR, but there is no way I will ride a bus from Toronto to Cochrane or the Soo anymore.

When we rode the train to Hearst they had the Ski Train F-40 for power.Do they now use CN power?Bill Webb

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> If only there was a parallel effort for the ONR.
> I once did a circle trip via ONR and CAR, but
> there is no way I will ride a bus from Toronto to
> Cochrane or the Soo anymore.

I don't see why you have a problem with the Ontario Northland bus service? Very well ran bus operation. The Northlander was a good ride but I doubt it will come back.

Jim