"All aboard! That was heard one year ago on April 1 as Canadian National Railways opened up its commuter service between Bradford and Toronto. The first anniversary was yesterday [April 3rd, 1975]. "Initially there were 95 commuters using the service in both directions," said spokesman Morris Simms of CN. "Currently 190 commuters are using the train in both directions." The train leaves Bradford at 7:11 a.m. arriving at Union Station at 8:20 a.m. The return train leaves Unions at 5:15 p.m. and arrives in Bradford at 6:27 p.m. There is a double fare system in effect for the commuter train. The single fare one way is $2.10. A flash card good for one month can be purchased for $52. This lowers the cost to about $1.25 pert trip. The strike of the Toronto Transit Commission last year increased the daily number of people taking the train. "The strike increased the passengers to about 582 going to Toronto during the day and 563 returnin," added Simms. The number of coaches was increased from two to nine but now the train has four coaches with a seating capacity of about 240. During the strike 20 people were taking the train from Bradford each day. The number of people using the service has doubled over the year and about 10 people are now using the train. "The use is varying," stated the CN spokesman, "it is slow but is increasing." "
"Since last July, a 10-man construction crew from the Canadian National Railways has been installing a new railway trestle across the Holland River, on the boundry [sic] of Simcoe county and the Region of York. The new steel trestle will extend 275 feet across the river and sit 16 to 17 inches higher than the wooden bridge which the railroad is presently using." ... article explains the history of this bridge, and the difficulties of the new installation.
"The Grand Trunk Railway have made an important innovation by installing their passenger train locomotives with a electric light equipment. One of the large type of passenger locomotive constructed at the Point St. Charles works of this company has just been turned out from the shops and is now at work in Montreal and Portland night passenger service, which has, in addition to all the well known modern appliances of merit for the safety and convenience of train operating, a powerful electric lighted head lamp and a number of incandescent lamps, which have been placed in the cab of the locomotive for the purpose of lighting the steam and air pressure and water gauges..."
This article appears in the Bradford Witness many times throughout the year 1900.
"The G.T.R. authorities will very shortly be presented with a numerously signed petition form the citizens of Bradford and neighborhood respectfully requesting that the midday passenger train going north be allowed to stop at this depot. The travelling public would find it a great convenience and there is every reason to believe that the railway people would also find ti to be a profitable piece of business in time."
The Metropolitan railway was a streetcar project which was to extend up to Bond Head through Bradford. Newspapers reported in 1900 that citizens would welcome this track through the towns, although it was a costly endeavour: "The residents of the north end of Newmarket are solicious for the continuance of the Metropolitan Railway track through to their quarter, and have called upon the Council to endeavor to get the company to perform the work."
It also presented issues with the town's current layout, hence changes had to be made: "The contract for removing the Newmarket Exhibition buildings to the South of the track has been let by the Management Committee, and arrangements have also been made for the erection of a grand stand. With these improvements the local grounds will compare favorably with any in the county."
Article on the prices of oil rates and monopolies in regards to train service. The article mainly references the United States, yet the rate fluctuation greatly affected Canadian trains and oil service in the early 1900s.
"The Railway Committee of the Privy Council has come to the conclusion that the railways which have been discriminating in freight rates in favor of the Standard Oil Trust must lower the rates charged other American oil companies. This is a move in the right direction and it is hoped that now the octopus will be shorn of the power it has possessed for the past year to victimize the people of this country in the price of so important an article as oil, which is universally used. If this decision of the Railway Committee is an earnest of the intention of the Government to look after the people's interests it will give the whole country the highest degree of satisfaction."
"The Grand trunk have added another lot of five handsomely built first class coaches to their already up-to-date equipment. Already during the past year some fifty of these modern cars have been built and placed in service, taking the place of some of the older coaches, and these new cars have been greatly admired by all who see them." ...
"The G.T.R. authorities are digging up ten maple shade trees from the Aurora station grounds to place in the grounds at Penetanguishene, and the citizens are very wroth."
