Polar Bear Express

This article is about the Canadian passenger train. For the children's book, see The Polar Express.
Polar Bear Express
Polar Bear Express about to leave Moosonee
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusIn service
LocaleNortheastern Ontario, Canada
First service1964 (1964)
Current operator(s)Ontario Northland Railway
Annual ridership52,451 (2019–2020)[1]
Route
TerminiCochrane
Moosonee
Stops2 scheduled, 12 flag stops
Distance travelled300 km (190 mi)
Average journey time5 hours
Service frequencyVaries seasonally[1]
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map
Legend
5:00
 Moosonee
4:28
 Galeton
4:04
 Renison
3:40
 Moose River
3:14
 Onakawana
2:52
 Ranoke
2:26
 Coral Rapids
2:20
 Otter Rapids
1:45
 Fraserdale
1:26
 Brownrigg
1:05
 Island Falls
0:41
 Wurtele
0:15
 Clute
0:00
 Cochrane
Northlander (1976-2012)
This diagram:

The Polar Bear Express is a Canadian passenger train operated by the Ontario Northland Railway in Northern Ontario. Service was introduced in 1964. While designated as a passenger train, the Polar Bear Express also carries freight and is equipped with specialized equipment including boxcars for canoes, snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles. There are also baggage and express cars. In the past a special car existed for canoes but now these are carried in regular boxcars.

This train service is the only Motorail service currently in Canada, with chaincars (flat cars with tie downs) for carrying cars and light trucks. There are no roads to Moosonee, so vehicles come in and out by train.

It operates five days per week year-round and connects Cochrane with Moosonee. During the summer months there is an additional train on Sundays and the train often includes a full-length dome car. Prior to 2012, the train carried a full dining car during the summer.[2]

  1. ^ a b Ontario Northland Transportation Commission. Annual Report 2019-2020 (PDF) (Report).
  2. ^ "Travelling on the Train". 9 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2021.