[micheal_can]

New Earlton rail terminal aims to boost Temiskaming grain exports

In partnership with Ontario Northland Rail, Koch Logistics plans to move more freight off Highway 11 by shifting additional loads from trucks onto trains — a change Koch says could remove roughly nine truckloads each time four cars are shipped

www.baytoday.ca

New Earlton rail terminal aims to boost Temiskaming grain exports

 

[Allandale25]

Gravenhurst Station news.

Popular eatery owners book tickets to move to Gravenhurst train station​

Well Fed, known for its specialty home-cooked meals, has secured a lease agreement with the municipality​

Additionally, the couple will be opening a new restaurant called The Daylight Bistro in Bracebridge this spring.


ByBrent Cooper, Gravenhurst Banner
Friday, March 27, 2026

Phillip Jakel and Bella Goudie of Well Fed are looking forward to moving their Gravenhurst eatery to the historic train station this year, while opening a new bistro in Bracebridge at the same time.
Brent Cooper/Metroland


A popular Gravenhurst business may have a new address come this fall.

Well Fed, which has offered specialty home-cooked meals for years from its location at 150 Hotchkiss St., may be moving to the town’s train station later this year after striking a deal to lease the space from the municipality.

The Gravenhurst train station may be the new home of Well Fed later this year.

 

[APTA-2048]

Second Northlander trainset arrives in preparation for a return to service

The train joined the first trainset at the VIA Rail Maintenance Centre in Toronto

www.muskokaradio.com

A second northlander train has arrived at the TMC

Just happened to pass by today.

 

[lenaitch]

Gravenhurst Station news.

I'm sure the town, and majority of its taxpayers, would rather have tenants that put the asset to profitable use, rather than a low volume, sporadic one like a waiting room.

 

[crs1026]

I'm sure the town, and majority of its taxpayers, would rather have tenants that put the asset to profitable use, rather than a low volume, sporadic one like a waiting room.

Absolutely. If you want to watch a vintage railway station deteriorate, assign it to a use that won't cover the cost of its maintenance and involves being unattended for 22 hours a day.

- Paul

 

[micheal_can]

Absolutely. If you want to watch a vintage railway station deteriorate, assign it to a use that won't cover the cost of its maintenance and involves being unattended for 22 hours a day.

- Paul

Ideally you do both. You use it as awaiting area, and you have a tenant that can operate out of it and cover the cost of the building upkeep. All stations that are more than a bus shelter should be that.

 

[lenaitch]

Ideally you do both. You use it as awaiting area, and you have a tenant that can operate out of it and cover the cost of the building upkeep. All stations that are more than a bus shelter should be that.

Great. All you need is a business willing to be open, in the case of Gravenhurst, from at least 0840 to 2045, every day, year round. In the case of Gravenhurst, those aren't entirely unreasonable hours - in the summer, but it would have to be profitable for them. They would also have to be willing to have 'clientele' that may not be interested in whatever product or service they are selling and just sit there waiting for a train. or waiting to be picked up. Even if there was a business that was open during to appropriate times, you can't make them serve as a waiting room.

There are a number of tenants in the building. I doubt any one tenant would generate enough rent to carry the building. There is a vet clinic in a separate building (old freight shed?) and a taxi business. There used to be a cafe which closed, and which might be telling. It's not a main street location and the townsite population is only about 5700.

As for other stops that have a station building, Temagami has a station building. Do you honestly expect a business to be open at 0415 and 0110, year round, in a village of less than 1000 (the entire municipality - not just the townsite).

 

[micheal_can]

Great. All you need is a business willing to be open, in the case of Gravenhurst, from at least 0840 to 2045, every day, year round. In the case of Gravenhurst, those aren't entirely unreasonable hours - in the summer, but it would have to be profitable for them. They would also have to be willing to have 'clientele' that may not be interested in whatever product or service they are selling and just sit there waiting for a train. or waiting to be picked up. Even if there was a business that was open during to appropriate times, you can't make them serve as a waiting room.

There are a number of tenants in the building. I doubt any one tenant would generate enough rent to carry the building. There is a vet clinic in a separate building (old freight shed?) and a taxi business. There used to be a cafe which closed, and which might be telling. It's not a main street location and the townsite population is only about 5700.

You can pay them to be available for the times the train arrives and then they can have their own hours. Contracts can be written as seen fit, so long as they are legally enforceable. The eatery could have pre-made things for sale for when the train arrives. The hours are not too bad for this station. Others may not be as ideal.

 

[lenaitch]

You can pay them to be available for the times the train arrives and then they can have their own hours. Contracts can be written as seen fit, so long as they are legally enforceable. The eatery could have pre-made things for sale for when the train arrives. The hours are not too bad for this station. Others may not be as ideal.

They could, but ONR has demonstrated that it has no intention to pay rent to anybody for a waiting room it has determined it doesn't need or want by installing kiosks, and the Town recently shut down any request to do the same.

You also assume the business would be an eatery. Should the town hold out for just a tenant compatible to a waiting room and turn down other potential clients?

 

[McGillicuddy]

Incidentally, we mustn't assume that the train will always roll through precisely on time. This needs to be an environment where 20 people with suitcases (including some rambunctious children) can wait for 4 hours in the middle of a blizzard.

This kind of usage would significantly interfere with most any business, unless it amounts to a coffee kiosk in a fairly conventional waiting area.

 

[micheal_can]

They could, but ONR has demonstrated that it has no intention to pay rent to anybody for a waiting room it has determined it doesn't need or want by installing kiosks, and the Town recently shut down any request to do the same.

You also assume the business would be an eatery. Should the town hold out for just a tenant compatible to a waiting room and turn down other potential clients?

Go check out the link. It specified that was what was going in.

 

[lenaitch]

Go check out the link. It specified that was what was going in.

Right. Got that. Still no indication that their hours will be compatible or that they will be willing to allow their seating to be as waiting space.

 

[micheal_can]

Right. Got that. Still no indication that their hours will be compatible or that they will be willing to allow their seating to be as waiting space.

That is very true. It doesn't mean that they won't change things once the train arrives. That business starting up and then evaluating whether having someone there to open their doors to allow a waiting room (and food) is right now up to them.

With the opening of the Northlander, there are a lot of things that are"we shall see". This station status is one of those many things.

 

[lenaitch]

Credit to @NorthernTracks (sorry bud) who has posted a revised Northlander schedule on FB. It clarifies the Timmins and Cochrane times and includes Timmins layovers to accommodate the PBX schedule. The PBX arrives in Cochrane at 2200 (s/b Northlander departs 2215) and departs at 0900 (Northlander arrives 0830). All other times appear to be the same.

Thanks to Northern Tracks.

 

[NorthernTracks]

Credit to @NorthernTracks (sorry bud) who has posted a revised Northlander schedule on FB. It clarifies the Timmins and Cochrane times and includes Timmins layovers to accommodate the PBX schedule. The PBX arrives in Cochrane at 2200 (s/b Northlander departs 2215) and departs at 0900 (Northlander arrives 0830). All other times appear to be the same.

Thanks to Northern Tracks.

View attachment 725293

All good. I appreciate you sharing, as I have seven different social media accounts (Facebook, Reddit, etc.) to maintain. Difficult to keep track sometimes.