There are a number of reasons.  Economically it makes sense.  Ontario has identified tourism as a major part of the Northern economy.  A tourist train will provide much needed jobs and sources of income for residents and small businesses of the area.  A fully developed attraction will provide opportunities for all communities along the tracks.

Although there are currently no freight shipments on the line, and none foreseen in the near future, the day may come when North-eastern Ontario will once again require rail access to the Great Lakes.  If the rails to Little Current are still in place and being used to generate tourist revenues, the possibility of adding freight trains to the line is much more feasible than if a complete reinstallation was required.

The AER is part of Northern Ontario history, albeit a largely forgotten part.  Our society spends a great deal of time and money preserving the past.  The past being preserved may be an old building, a way of life, one's genealogy or, in this case, a railroad.  No matter what it is, once saved, it becomes a link to our past and a stabilizing influence on our constantly changing future.
What can I do? 

Get involved.  Join the Algoma Eastern railway Heritage Group described elsewhere on this site.  Currently membership is free and entitles you to a subscription to the AERHG newsletter.  Make your wishes known to your local, provincial and federal elected representatives.  Share your knowledge of this railway with others through submissions to the newsletter.  Without local support as well as support and interest from outside the area this project will not succeed and another part of Northern Ontario history will vanish.
Where are we now? 

We have begun the process.  A group, the Algoma Eastern Railway Heritage Group, described elsewhere on this site, has been formed with the mission of saving the line and arranging for the operation of a tourist train.  We have received some very positive initial publicity from the local and regional media.  Our newsletter mailing list has grown to over 100 recipients in just one month.  We have made a good start, but there is a long way to go yet.  Currently we are determining the various steps required to get a feasibility study done.  As we continue to develop this project we will keep everyone interested informed, both through the newsletter and on this site.  By the way, back issues to the newsletter will be saved here in text format and may be copied freely.
Newsletter Back Issues On-Line: 

AERHG Newsletter Volume 1 Number 1 (January 1999) 
AERHG Newsletter Volume 1 Number 2 (March 1999)
AERHG Newsletter Volume 1 Number 3 (May 1999)