The plight of Ontario Northland Railway differed in no way from that of other railways. While giving service essential to the national economy, it was facing ever-increasing competition, much of it unfair, from air lines, highway trucking and private motor cars. For Ontario Northland Railway, this had been particularly galling, since many of its commodity rates had been set and maintained at low levels to encourage regional development, while its less-than-carload traffic was being skimmed off by under-cutting competition. 

Since little could be done to correct these adverse conditions, other steps had to be taken. The only field in which the rising tide of costs could be combated was in efficiency of operations. In consequence, the Commission decided, as a first step, to abandon steam locomotion and substitute diesel power. The first diesel locomotives, 100 h.p. general purpose yard switchers, went into service in June, 1946. The final delivery of 1750 h.p. general purpose road switchers was made in February, 1957. In all, forty-eight diesel locomotives are now in service and the "last run" of a steam locomotive was made in June, 1957.

The economies of diesel operation were of immediate importance but could not yield their optimum advantage until the transformation was complete. At that time, water tanks, coaling stations and the hauling and storage of coal could be abandoned. The greater availability of the diesel locomotive made fewer units necessary than in the days of steam and their greater tractive effort resulted in longer and heavier trains, also a source of economy. 

While the expansion phase of the railway, for the time being at least, had halted in 1932, construction of a different sort was once more at a high level. Dieselization required repair and maintenance shops. An extremely efficient shop, largely designed by the railway's engineering department, was built at North Bay and this was followed, on a more modest scale by a shop at Cochrane. Diesel sheds with provision for inspection and minor repairs have also been constructed at Moosonee and Rouyn.

Because of the increased length of trains under diesel operation, many of the existing passing tracks were lengthened and a number of new tracks were built. A vigorous program of roadbed betterment is continuously being pursued. This involves such operations as widening cuts and embankments, rock ballasting, with a total of fifty-three miles now in place, the use of treated ties for all replacements and the substitution of 115-pound rail for lighter sections on the main line. The rails on the branch lines are being upgraded with 90-pound rail from the main line.

Another undertaking, which began in 1950, was the installation of a system of automatic block signals on the main line. Annual increments have now carried this system from North Bay to Bourkes, a total of 184 miles. The system is designed for conversion, at a moderate cost, to centralized traffic control, which, as far as operation is concerned, would have much the same effect as double tracking that part of the railway. The existing signal system gives a strong safety factor and also facilitates the more rapid movement of trains.

In 1952, Ontario Northland Railway was the first in Canada to adopt the radio telephone as a secondary medium for the operation of trains. In that year, an installation was made which permitted the yard office to speak directly with switching locomotives anywhere in the North Bay yards. This was followed quickly by equipping locomotives in freight service to give them communication with the vans. All locomotives and vans in road service are now radio-equipped. This has resulted in great savings of time. No longer is it necessary for trainmen to walk, in some cases, almost the full length of the train in order to communicate with the engineer. This was not only time consuming, but in the winter particularly, vary arduous work.

A very notable improvement is also taking place in the accommodation provided for work crews and extra gangs along the line. Steel coaches and troop carriers have been rebuilt as boarding cars and fourteen of these cars are now in use. In addition, the mechanical department has convenient and comfortable all-steel vans. It has overhauled, renovated and put into service three stainless steel coaches as additions to the passenger equipment, as well as overhauling and bringing up to date other passenger equipment. 

Of all the ancillary services of Ontario Northland Railway, none has made greater progress than Ontario Northland Communications. In the early days, telegraph lines were used for train operations and company business. It was only in recognition that there was a public need which could not otherwise be satisfied that commercial messages were accepted. The telephone service evolved in much the same way. In 1945, the revenues derived from the telegraphs and telephones amounted to $451,910.37. In the fourteen years that have elapsed since that time, these revenues have increased to $2,572,032.32. This almost six-fold increase is in part a measure of the increase in business activity throughout the area, but it is also an indication of the increase in modern facilities afforded by the system. Teletype is now available wherever required and radio and audible portion of TV programs are carried over company wires. Equipment of the most modern type, which will permit integration of the department's facilities into the continent-wide system of communications and allow direct dialing has been installed in four long distance and telegraph offices. These have been constructed at Noranda, Timmins, Cochrane and New Liskeard.

In a different category has been the enterprise shown in the Moosonee area. Since 1946, the Lodge at Moosonee and the Hannah Bay Camp for goose hunters have been in operation. The former, which affords comfortable accommodation at the end of steel, has resulted in some thousands making the trip to Moosonee. These tourists have crossed the Moose River to historic Moose Factory and have made the trip down to Ship Sands where mariners three hundred years ago dropped anchor in a sheltered roadstead. Not only have they been fascinated with this jumping-off place for the sub-Artic, but they have brought home and widely-diffused a knowledge of the area which is making Moosonee a familiar name. The Hannah Bay Camp has given a welcome and superb sport to several thousand hunters from all parts of the continent. While these have been profitable undertakings, they have had an even greater value in making Northern Ontario known as an area of vast resources.

As a measure of the improvements which have been effected in the past fifteen years, an examination of the capital structure of the properties is enlightening. In 1945, investments stood at $45,692,440.42. At the end of 1959, the comparable figure was $66,549,581.46. It would be difficult and fruitless to try to prove that revenue during that period has increased two and one-half times solely as a result of this increase in investment. It is very sure, however, that the great increase in traffic could not have been handled efficiently and expeditiously with the equipment available in 1945. It is also true that to the economies due to diesel operation and the increase in revenue of the expanding communication services, both the result of capital investments, are to be attributed such surpluses as have been achieved in recent years. However, if expenses continue to increase as they have during the last fifteen years, the immediate prospect for the railway is not bright. This situation is not peculiar to Ontario Northland Railway. It applies with equal or greater force to all Canadian railways. It is the inevitable result of revenues subject to strict regulation while expenses are free to climb. The condition is aggravated by an increasing degree of subsidization of all competing media of transportation.

However, the long-term outlook for Ontario Northland Railway, and for Northern Ontario with which its interests are so closely linked, is extremely bright. From its inception, the railway has pioneered the country in the sense that it has penetrated ahead of any development and quite often, as exemplified by Cobalt, the Porcupine and Kirkland Lake, the expected development has been overshadowed by something quite different and on a larger scale.

The extension north from Cochrane to Moosonee was ostensibly, for many, to create for Ontario an ocean port. For a period of a quarter century, this objective was as illusory as a dream. The practical attainments of the venture were to be expressed in three hydro-electric power developments on the Abitibi and, later, an impressive traffic in lumber, pit props and pulpwood. The heaviest northbound traffic ever experienced on that section of the line occurred during the construction of the Mid-Canada Defense line. These forty-car trains, however, were not making for Moosonee, the ocean port, but for Moosonee, the end of steel, the jumping off place for snow trains and winter operating airplanes. Some ships, larger than any craft which had before navigated the Moose, took on cargo at Moosonee. Their sailings were few but they did underline the fact that Moosonee, with the river in its natural state, was close to being a practicable ocean port. 

For some years before and after that time, the Commission, and more particularly the Chairman, have been calling attention to the potential value of a first class ocean port at Moosonee. They see in it another upsurge in Northern activity as great in its general effect as the discovery of the Porcupine mining field. The harbour would be open for shipping during a season of up to six months, with access to the Atlantic through Hudson Strait for a period of two and a half months at least. The harbour would be a still-water basin, immune from high water or ice jams where a fleet could winter in perfect safety. The ship channel would have a depth of 30 feet at low tide, making the port available to most of the world's shipping.

It is an alluring vision and one which has stirred the imagination of the Prime Minister of Ontario and, in turn that of the Prime Minister of Canada. The vision is based on practical realities.

Inland from the mouth of the Great Whale River, on the southeast coast of Hudson Bay, is one of the largest, if not indeed the largest, deposits of magnetite ore anywhere in the world. Hydro-electric power could be made available for concentration within a few miles of the ore and a short railway would bring the concentrates out to a deep-water protected harbour for shipment to Moosonee. An economic study has indicated that delivery could be made at Lake Erie or Ontario ports in competition with the product of any other Canadian deposits.

In addition, on the Belcher Islands are hundreds of millions of tons of magnetite which could be mined cheaply and shipped to Moosonee for concentration or direct reduction. It seems inevitable that direct reduction will ultimately replace the blast furnace techniques and for the application of this treatment Moosonee is an ideal location.

If no more than ten million tons of concentrates per year should come south through Moosonee, the effect on Northern Ontario would be startling. However, once Moosonee affords an outlet there will be other mining developments in the north. Copper, nickel, lead and zinc are known to exist. There will then be incentive to seek them out and develop them.

However, southbound traffic is by no means the whole story. Moosonee would give an export for Northern products. A grain elevator at Moosonee could give a lift to Northern agriculture such as it has never known. Grain, meat and milk products all could find foreign markets. The forest industries could contribute to the flow with paper, pulp, plywoods and building boards and the tremendous gypsum deposits at Moose River Crossing might well come in to their own as a major source of exports.

The economic effect of an ocean port at Moosonee would be felt in every part of Northeastern Ontario and in the South. It is a reasonable assumption that from it would spring an increase of population in the northland of at least one hundred thousand people based on secondary and service industries and on the mines and port itself. The long term outlook for Ontario Northland Railway and its ancillary services is indeed very bright. If the faith and optimism which inspired the turning of the "first sod" has not been lost, Northern Ontario will soon be entering an era of prosperity unequalled in the past. 

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Published by
Ontario Northland Transportation Commission