[reaperexpress]

In addition to Stratford, this will also boost tourism downstream in Guelph and the Tri-Cities. I realized responding to someone on the ATmosphere that you could technically get to Elmira 100% by rail, though getting back on the same day may be difficult. WB GO Kitchener Line >> NB ION LRT >> NB Waterloo Central Railway

View attachment 731168

The Waterloo Central Railway is not a useful transportation service because its top speed is 16 km/h. It takes 45 minutes to get from Waterloo to Elmira, only runs three times per day on thursdays and saturdays only and costs $26 for a day pass (you can't buy a one-way ticket). You'd only use it if the purpose of your trip was to ride the Waterloo Central Railway.

For people who just want to get to Elmira it makes more sense to take GRT route 21, which departs every 30 minutes from Conestoga LRT station and takes 27 minutes to get to downtown Elmira, with a free transfer from the LRT (which itself is a free transfer from the GO train).

 

[crs1026]

The Waterloo Central Railway is not a useful transportation service because its top speed is 16 km/h. It takes 45 minutes to get from Waterloo to Elmira, only runs three times per day and costs $26 round trip (you can't buy a one-way ticket). You'd only use it if the purpose of your trip was to ride the Waterloo Central Railway.

For people who just want to get to Elmira it makes more sense to take GRT route 21, which departs every 30 minutes from Conestoga LRT station and takes 27 minutes to get to downtown Elmira, with a free transfer from the LRT (which itself is a free transfer from the GO train).

Lol Hey don't sell WCR short. The "hopper" fare is an all day ticket, allows the rider to board at Northfield, get off at Farmers Market or in St Jacobs, catch the next train to Elmira, and then layover there and come back on the last train to Northfield. So it saves a couple bus fares in the process.

Seriously, WCR is not a transit provider.... but it's a pretty fun day trip. Hopefully the new GO trains do make it and other tourist attractions in the area more attractive for folks down the line..

- Paul

 

[Metroscapes]

The Waterloo Central Railway is not a useful transportation service because its top speed is 16 km/h. It takes 45 minutes to get from Waterloo to Elmira, only runs three times per day on thursdays and saturdays only and costs $26 for a day pass (you can't buy a one-way ticket). You'd only use it if the purpose of your trip was to ride the Waterloo Central Railway.

For people who just want to get to Elmira it makes more sense to take GRT route 21, which departs every 30 minutes from Conestoga LRT station and takes 27 minutes to get to downtown Elmira, with a free transfer from the LRT (which itself is a free transfer from the GO train).
View attachment 731342

Lol Hey don't sell WCR short. The "hopper" fare is an all day ticket, allows the rider to board at Northfield, get off at Farmers Market or in St Jacobs, catch the next train to Elmira, and then layover there and come back on the last train to Northfield. So it saves a couple bus fares in the process.

Seriously, WCR is not a transit provider.... but it's a pretty fun day trip. Hopefully the new GO trains do make it and other tourist attractions in the area more attractive for folks down the line..

- Paul

No disagreements, the only point being that you have a municipally owned railway, there should be a way to swing simultaneous regional transit operations with heritage excursion in series. It's a wasted opportunity, all because the province is still so tepid to expand outside of the GTA, and run with top-heavy management of the operation.

My thinking if a municipal railway (e.g. GJR, WCR) can own a corridor and contract a third party to operate freight services, it should be able to contract someone to operate passenger services.

 

[nfitz]

No disagreements, the only point being that you have a municipally owned railway, there should be a way to swing simultaneous regional transit operations with heritage excursion in series. It's a wasted opportunity, all because the province is still so tepid to expand outside of the GTA, and run with top-heavy management of the operation.

How would that ever be mor economical than continuing to run the regular bus?

The railway track is not municipally-owned. Nor is that tourist train service.

 

[taylortbb]

The railway is not municipally-owned. Nor is that tourist train service.

The region is the owner of the tracks, that's how they were able to use the corridor for ION. Their agreement with CN for freight does include the clause they can terminate freight service if necessary for ION operations.

 

[crs1026]

There is a huge difference between a volunteer led outfit running antique trains on a limited schedule on 10 mph track and a regular transit service….. the big difference is money.
Certainly the Region could make the investment if it saw a need - but the poulation just isn’t there, soi far .

- Paul

 

[nfitz]

The region is the owner of the tracks, that's how they were able to use the corridor for ION.

Ah - I hadn't realised that the sale included the track north of Northfield. My apology!

 

[Metroscapes]

For all:

The corridor was built as the Waterloo Junction Railway in 1890. The GTR leased the line the following year. The corridor used to extend south of GTR’s east-west mainline, connecting via what is now the Iron Horse Trail and Huron Park Spur. The line eventually became part of the Canadian National (CN) Railway network during the Grand Trunk collapse and government railway consolidation in 1923. In 1995, the corridor was purchased by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, with freight operations contracted out to the Goderich–Exeter Railway, who had also leased the Guelph Subdivision. CN took over operations when the mainline lease expired in 2018.