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Local politicians hopeful suspended Via Rail line could lead to restoration of service to city

THUNDER BAY – Suspension of Via Rail service between Toronto and Winnipeg is leading to speculation of passenger trains returning to the North Shore.
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Coun. Frank Pullia answers questions in front of the CP Rail station on Syndicate Avenue Tuesday. (Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY – Suspension of Via Rail service between Toronto and Winnipeg is leading to speculation of passenger trains returning to the North Shore.

The line between the two cities and service across Northern Ontario has been indefinitely halted after a fiery derailment of a CN Rail freight train near Gogama, Ont. on March 7.

Thunder Bay has not been a Via Rail stop since 1990 when the company moved their route to a northern track that bypasses the city.

Coun. Frank Pullia believes this is the closest the city has been to having passenger rail service in 25 years.

“They always said no way. It didn’t make any sense for them, for whatever reason. Now there’s a business case for them to look at it,” Pullia said

“If they need us and need our help we should be willing to work with Via or CP to make it happen. If the possibility is there we should explore it.”

Restoring passenger rail could have significant regional benefits.

It would provide a convenient, reliable transportation link between Thunder Bay and communities to the east.

“It would be an additional service especially for the people who live on the North Shore,” Pullia said.

“If you want to come to Thunder Bay for the weekend, especially in the wintertime, you don’t want to take a chance driving on the road. If you just want to relax and come into town you jump on the train.”

MP Bruce Hyer (Green, Thunder Bay-Superior North) has long been a supporter of restoring passenger rail service and had met with Via Rail chief executive officer Yves Desjardins-Siciliano before the derailments to discuss that possibility.

“He indicated to me he’s personally very committed to bringing Via Rail back through Thunder Bay and maintaining some kind of service on the north line,” he said.

“This has given him an opportunity to reopen the conversation and get people thinking and talking.”

But having the trains running along that southern route isn’t as simple as just switching tracks.

Via Rail has an agreement with CN Rail, which owns the tracks, to run along the northern route. The southern line is owned by CP Rail and they would have to agree with Via Rail to share those tracks

“We have two big obstacles. First, CP Rail doesn’t really want it and the other obstacle is that it would take some time for Via crews to go over a new route,” Hyer said.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen in the next few weeks but I’m really pleased the conversation has been reopened.”

When reached, Via Rail corporate communications senior advisor Maxime Dupont-Demers seemed to pour cold water on the idea.

“VIA Rail cannot use the CP railway between Sudbury and Winnipeg as we do not have an agreement with CP regarding the use of their infrastructure in the area. VIA Rail is not considering rerouting the Canadian,” Dupont-Demers said in a statement to Dougall Media.





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