[Northern Light]

Nothing super new, Barrie still pondering its options. They seem to be committed to keeping the railway, but are trying to find ways to either reduce their exposure or get better bang for the buck.

City tracking best options, future for Barrie-Collingwood Railway

Total annual revenues from the short-line railway are around $300,000, while maintenance and upgrade costs are approximately $330,000

www.collingwoodtoday.ca

 

[lenaitch]

If it weren't for customers, any line would be gone.

 

[micheal_can]

A good question is how will Barrie deal with a potential departure of Cando. They seem more commited to the rails than Orangeville, but will they survive Cando's departure, and if so, who will take Cando's place?

Metrolinx?

 

[RedMelon]

It wouldn't be Metrolinx, for a few reasons
1. The rails are not in good enough condition
2. Where would they add a station?
3.doesn't seem like it would make profit for passenger service to Collingwood

Some options of railroad operators I can see happening are:
Trillium Railway
Genesee and Wyoming (Owners of GEXR)
Ontario Southland Railway

Also another possibility is they keep the trackage protected for future use

 

[RedMelon]

The City of Barrie is also earning money from billboards along the railline

 

[Northern Light]

It wouldn't be Metrolinx, for a few reasons
1. The rails are not in good enough condition
2. Where would they add a station?
3.doesn't seem like it would make profit for passenger service to Collingwood

Some options of railroad operators I can see happening are:
Trillium Railway
Genesee and Wyoming (Owners of GEXR)
Ontario Southland Railway

Also another possibility is they keep the trackage protected for future use

There is no use for this line for Mx today; but there are real possibilities for the future.

Via use of additional spurs, this makes sense as a line serving those going to Blue Mountain, and Wasaga Beach; there are traffic issues w/these areas already; it opens up the area to those w/o cars and also serves to discourage drinking and driving.

But to be clear, I'm not delusional.. This would require dramatic upgrades to the track and additional spurs and is not on the near-term time horizon. But it would definitely be a poor idea to let the ROW slip away.

***

I'd also add I do see a more compelling case for GO extending service to Orillia and restoring the real/potential VIA stop and Northland stop in Barrie.

While much of the corridor remains in place, there are portions that would awkward to put back, particularly through DT Barrie.

An option exists here to use the BCRY Corridor out to the 400 or just beyond and then run north to meet Orillia and Washago on a partially new alignment.

 

[innsertnamehere]

There isn't really a realistic option for GO service to Orillia as there are no active railway lines to the city. Your best bet would be to come off an extension of the Richmond Hill line.. but even then, that's one huge extension for what would be a low ridership line. You would need a connection to Barrie to make it work, and that ROW is long gone and developed.

I enjoy the idea of a rail extension to Collingwood at some point in the future, especially since the ROW is so straight. The travel time could be very competitive as it would be very easy to achieve quite high speeds on the line. I picture some sort of long distance tripper commute type service running express to Innisfil or so from Union, then stopping at Barrie, Angus, Stayner, and Collingwood. If you are feeling generous, perhaps a direct rail connection along a ROW to Blue Mountian that can double up with a Highway 26 bypass around Collingwood.

 

[Northern Light]

There isn't really a realistic option for GO service to Orillia as there are no active railway lines to the city. Your best bet would be to come off an extension of the Richmond Hill line.. but even then, that's one huge extension for what would be a low ridership line. You would need a connection to Barrie to make it work, and that ROW is long gone and developed.

I enjoy the idea of a rail extension to Collingwood at some point in the future, especially since the ROW is so straight. The travel time could be very competitive as it would be very easy to achieve quite high speeds on the line. I picture some sort of long distance tripper commute type service running express to Innisfil or so from Union, then stopping at Barrie, Angus, Stayner, and Collingwood. If you are feeling generous, perhaps a direct rail connection along a ROW to Blue Mountian that can double up with a Highway 26 bypass around Collingwood.

Huh?

The ROW between Barrie and Orillia is almost 100% in tact; its a recreation trail. I know, I've been on it.

There are only 2 material interruptions. One is right in DT Barrie; the other is where the addition of Casino Rama sits on the ROW.

Otherwise its entirely there.

 

[micheal_can]

It wouldn't be Metrolinx, for a few reasons
1. The rails are not in good enough condition
2. Where would they add a station?
3.doesn't seem like it would make profit for passenger service to Collingwood

Some options of railroad operators I can see happening are:
Trillium Railway
Genesee and Wyoming (Owners of GEXR)
Ontario Southland Railway

Also another possibility is they keep the trackage protected for future use

GO is being extended all directions. Heading North is a logical direction.

They could use the existing line to extend GO to Collingwood like they did for Niagara Falls.
They could use CP and then spur off to Orillia and north.

Both of those are realistic things that would generate ridership. It may not be on their horizon yet, but it doesn't mean they aren't thinking of it.

 

[Allandale25]

Do we know that Cando is going to pull out of Barrie soon?

You must have missed @smallspy's reply to your question in the OBRY thread.

Orangeville-Brampton Railway (OBRY)

Fair enough, but the problem is that the railway will never break even so this will always be an issue. As for what Trillium is doing with track work, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was just routine investment. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time investments were made in...

urbantoronto.ca

 

[Fritter]

The ROW between Barrie and Orillia is almost 100% in tact; its a recreation trail. I know, I've been on it.

There are only 2 material interruptions. One is right in DT Barrie; the other is where the addition of Casino Rama sits on the ROW.

Otherwise its entirely there.

The right of way around the bay downtown has slowly been eaten away with various private and public development. Waterfront trail does not follow rail ROW exactly. Yes the rest of the ROW from just past downtown to Orillia is about 95% intact as a recreational trail. Besides some small chunks of ROW removal in Downtown Orillia, the major missing piece is in the north end of Barrie, where homes have been built on the ROW and the trail reverts to roadway to connect the disjointed parts of the trail.

 

[lenaitch]

I get a kick out of these fantasy threads. As mentioned, to go to Orillia, most of the ROW is built over in downtown Barrie as well as the east end. To go out to the west along the current BCR it would have to go a fair distance to clear both the city and Little Lake then curve north in an area of not insignificant grade changes, all on acquired land. Using CP would be pointless since it goes in the wrong direction.

As for Collingwood, the ROW is there but not into the townsite. Any extension to Blue Mountain would have to swing off a fair bit south since the town has expanded significantly. Same for a fantasy spur to Wasaga. Again, all on acquired land.

In both cases, I'd have to be convinced there is would be a ridership for anything other than an occasional service. Would spending not unlimited public funding to benefit high end resort operators, retirees who might occasionally travel to the GTA and seasonal day trippers be a good use?

 

[Northern Light]

The right of way around the bay downtown has slowly been eaten away with various private and public development. Waterfront trail does not follow rail ROW exactly. Yes the rest of the ROW from just past downtown to Orillia is about 95% intact as a recreational trail. Besides some small chunks of ROW removal in Downtown Orillia, the major missing piece is in the north end of Barrie, where homes have been built on the ROW and the trail reverts to roadway to connect the disjointed parts of the trail.

View attachment 275018

I'd forgotten about the second missing section there; its not immaterial.

Its 1.7km.

Mapped out, (crudely) this is what I get:

Allendale - to easily reinstatable ROW (no need to realign road or impinge waterfront parks.) 2.9km (ROW mostly there, but trail or parking or part of one small street, but would be controversial to reinstate)

Repurposable trail - (low controversy) 1.9km

North Barrie Gap - 1.7km.

Barrie - Orillia fully repurposable trail - 30.25km

Orillia - 800 M is missing to the extent is not path or visibly public property, though, only 2 buildings actually appear to encroach on the ROW.

Orillia - Washago 13.5km mostly marked as trail or still has track except for one small section (street viewed a bit, appears to have re-wilded, only tell tale is that vegetation is shorter than surrounding)

32km - fairly easy
13.5km - easy
3.7km - some issues ( at least one expropriation, traffic and waterfront access)
1.7km - expropriation, house removal.

The bridge in DT Orillia is a bit of an issue:

 

[lenaitch]

In downtown Barrie, parts of Lakeshore and Simcoe were moved to be essentially on the old ROW. The city spend a gazillion dollars improving their water and would likely be displeased. In Orillia, Home Hardware built over the ROW (which begs the question of ownership of urban parts of the former ROW). In Ramara, it is mostly unimpeded. I think the rear part of some Casino Rama parking lots and some service buildings may be on it. Tracks still exist from Longford Mills north the Washago but that spur is identified for abandonment since the sole customer closed.

Yes, that bridge would be a costly issue.

 

[RedMelon]

Guys why would we even want GO to go to Orillia, It wouldn't make sense, and besides, over half the people that live there are unemployed.