[lenaitch]

Update on Northlander prep. They are grubbing out the alignment for the CN-to-ONR connecting track in North Bay. This is from the current end-of-track on the CN Newmarket Sub at Old Callander Rd. looking north along the former CN ROW. Off in the distance they will be building a connecting track to the ONR northbound. This will eliminate the need for the train to trundle through the yard.

 

[Bordercollie]

Update on Northlander prep. They are grubbing out the alignment for the CN-to-ONR connecting track in North Bay. This is from the current end-of-track on the CN Newmarket Sub at Old Callander Rd. looking north along the former CN ROW. Off in the distance they will be building a connecting track to the ONR northbound. This will eliminate the need for the train to trundle through the yard.

View attachment 601261

Like a yard run around track?

 

[micheal_can]

Update on Northlander prep. They are grubbing out the alignment for the CN-to-ONR connecting track in North Bay. This is from the current end-of-track on the CN Newmarket Sub at Old Callander Rd. looking north along the former CN ROW. Off in the distance they will be building a connecting track to the ONR northbound. This will eliminate the need for the train to trundle through the yard.

View attachment 601261

I thought they had that when the Newmarket Sub kept going to the old CN station

 

[lenaitch]

I thought they had that when the Newmarket Sub kept going to the old CN station

They did, but CN abandoned it in the mid-1990s. Rail was still in place north of Old Callander Rd. probably to near where the diamond was but it was badly overgrown and unusable. If any of the old connecting track still exists it would be unusable as well. Seeing as ONR put out the tender for this job, I assume it is now their property.

 

[micheal_can]

They did, but CN abandoned it in the mid-1990s. Rail was still in place north of Old Callander Rd. probably to near where the diamond was but it was badly overgrown and unusable. If any of the old connecting track still exists it would be unusable as well. Seeing as ONR put out the tender for this job, I assume it is now their property.

Now it makes sense.

 

[lenaitch]

Here's a Google Earth shot. You can sort-of see the old CN ROW running lower right-upper left across the ONR and the old connecting track arcing to upper right (grey).

 

[micheal_can]

Here's a Google Earth shot. You can sort-of see the old CN ROW running lower right-upper left across the ONR and the old connecting track arcing to upper right (grey).

View attachment 601358

For some reason,I thought that connection was still there.

 

[dowlingm]

Like a yard run around track?

The broken line south / west of the purple bit?

 

[lenaitch]

Like a yard run around track?

No. It was the alignment of the CN Newmarket (previously Alderdale) subdivision that crossed the ONR and continued westward through the city to Capreol. The ONR yard is to the south in the image below and the Temagami Sub mainline heads to the upper right. You can see a bit of the connecting track/wye between CN and ONR just to the lower right of the image. It's still in service.

I don't know how much of a yard CN had in North Bay. There was a junction between the Newmarket Sub and the Alderdale Sub coming from Pembroke just south of the city. Their main yard was in Capreol. Whatever they had was mostly either torn out and/or assumed by ONR. They just have a few tracks now to assemble trains.

The connecting track they are re-establishing is the dashed line leading to the ONR Temagami Sub. This eliminates the Northlander from having to go through the ONR yard.

The broken line south / west of the purple bit?
View attachment 601609

 

[Bordercollie]

No. It was the alignment of the CN Newmarket (previously Alderdale) subdivision that crossed the ONR and continued westward through the city to Capreol. The ONR yard is to the south in the image below and the Temagami Sub mainline heads to the upper right. You can see a bit of the connecting track/wye between CN and ONR just to the lower right of the image. It's still in service.

I don't know how much of a yard CN had in North Bay. There was a junction between the Newmarket Sub and the Alderdale Sub coming from Pembroke just south of the city. Their main yard was in Capreol. Whatever they had was mostly either torn out and/or assumed by ONR. They just have a few tracks now to assemble trains.

The connecting track they are re-establishing is the dashed line leading to the ONR Temagami Sub. This eliminates the Northlander from having to go through the ONR yard.

So previously the train had to go through the yard? How much time will it save? Does the Canadian pass through here?

 

[micheal_can]

So previously the train had to go through the yard? How much time will it save? Does the Canadian pass through here?

Up until that segment was removed, the Northlander did bypass the yard.

 

[Urban Sky]

So previously the train had to go through the yard? How much time will it save? Does the Canadian pass through here?

This is in North Bay. The Canadian turns in Washago towards the Northwest, whereas CN’s Newcastle Newmarket Sub continues North before it merges in North Bay into the ONTC network:

 

[Bordercollie]

Up until that segment was removed, the Northlander did bypass the yard.

So they removed it after the train stopped running and are now bringing it back? Does that benefit CN in any way? I guess they will need to connect it to CTC which isn't cheap.

 

[micheal_can]

This is in North Bay. The Canadian turns in Washago towards the Northwest, whereas CN’s Newcastle Sub turns Northeast before it merges in North Bay into the ONTC network:
View attachment 601712View attachment 601713View attachment 601714

Newmarket Sub.

So they removed it after the train stopped running and are now bringing it back? Does that benefit CN in any way? I guess they will need to connect it to CTC which isn't cheap.

I don't know when it was removed, but I remember riding from North Bay to Toronto on it sometime late1990s/early 2000s and it was there.

I doubt this benefits CN in any way. Any thru freight would still need to be marshaled in the yards. This only benefits the return of the Northlander.

 

[lenaitch]

So they removed it after the train stopped running and are now bringing it back? Does that benefit CN in any way? I guess they will need to connect it to CTC which isn't cheap.

It would not benefit CN at all. As I mentioned, since it is an ONR contract to rebuild this segment (RFQ previously posted) I am only assuming that ONR has title to the property. I don't have a employee timetable or Canadian Trackside Guide but assume that CN property ends at the hard barrier just short (south) of the crossing of Old Callander Rd. CN does not operate north of North Bay and ONR (freight) doesn't operate south of it. Cars are interchanged and respective trains operated by ONR, CN and OVR and built and broken in their adjacent yards.

I stand to be corrected by I'm not aware that the CN Newmarket Sub ever had CTC; I know the ONR didn't. I believe both at one time had Automatic Block Systems but they are now dark and turned and as far as I know, both territories operate under an Occupancy Control System. I don't know if any signaling changes are in the cards because of the return of passenger service. Several VIA trains operate in 'dark territory'.

Newmarket Sub.

I don't know when it was removed, but I remember riding from North Bay to Toronto on it sometime late1990s/early 2000s and it was there.

I doubt this benefits CN in any way. Any thru freight would still need to be marshaled in the yards. This only benefits the return of the Northlander.

I don't know either; I am just assuming the connection was in place when the last Northlander operated.