Reporting Marks

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

This page describes reporting marks found on equipment belonging to or frequently operated by Canadian National Railways.

Rail equipment used most often in Canada:

CN — The bulk of CN equipment. This is generally Canadian-built equipment used inside Canada.
CNA — CN equipment built in the USA. Examples of this are old RailBox cars now owned by CN; other boxcars of various different origins purchased from U.S. roads; aluminum-bodied coal cars (CNA 193xxx series); and some newer grain hoppers (CNA 386xxx series).
BCNE —In conjunction with BC Rail, a BCNE reporting mark was created for joint-service cars originally assigned to BC Rail's Tumbler Ridge line. These cars are in the series 900000-900639 (single rotary coupler) and 900962-900969 (double rotary coupler).
NAR — Former Northern Alberta Railway cars.

Rail equipment used most often in the USA:

CV — Equipment belonging to the Central Vermont Railway (CV).
DWP — Equipment owned by the Duluth Winnipeg & Pacific Railway (DWP), another CN subsidiary.
GTW — Equipment owned by Grand Trunk Western (GTW), another CN subsidiary.
DTI — Former equipment (mostly boxcars) of the Detroit Toledo & Ironton Railwoad, purchased by GTW in 1984. Much of this equipment was subsequently renumbered into the GTW roster.
DTS — Former equipment of the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line Railroad, purchased by GTW in 1981. Much of this was subsequently renumbered into the GTW roster.

Rail equipment in international service:

The "international service" designation is driven by customs laws in Canada and the USA. A car cannot be used regularly for cross-border traffic unless it has customs fees paid on it in the country where it was not manufactured. This is expensive and railways try to limit international traffic to cars on which these fees have already been paid.

CNIS — Equipment built in Canada for CN and used in international service.
CVC — International-service equipment owned by Central Vermont. It is often clearly marked: CANADIAN BUILT FOR INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ONLY.
DWC — International-service equipment that is owned by DWP. It is often clearly marked: CANADIAN BUILT FOR INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ONLY.
GTA — International-service equipment that is owned by GTW. This mark was only applied to a few auto racks during the period 1971-1982.

Containers:

CNRU — Modern CN containers
CNEU — Older containers, many now used for static storage or in captive service.
CNPU — unknown
TTWU — Containers from Terra Transport (Newfoundland).

Highway trailers:

CNRZ — Modern CN flatbeds for containers
CNPZ — Modern enclosed trailers, piggy back (TOFC)
CNEZ — CN express service, now not used
CVRZ — Trailers from Central Vermont.
CNAZ — Trailers for international service?
DTIZ — Trailers belonging to the Detroit Toledo & Ironton, purchased by GTW in 1984.

TTPZ — Trailers from Terra Transport.
TTWZ — Flatbed for containers, from Terra Transport.

End-of-train telemetry devices:

CNQ — Used on most CN trains
DWPQ — Used by DWP
GTWQ — Used by GTW
GTQ — Used by GTW?
CVQ — Formerly used by CV

Government grain cars:

These marks don't belong to CN but are used on government-owned cylindrical grain cars that are operated almost exclusively by CN.

CNWX — Owned by the Canadian Wheat Board
SKNX — Owned by Saskatchewan
ALNX — Owned by Alberta

Canac International:

Equipment with these marks belongs to Canac International Inc, a leasing arm of CN. Equipment is clearly marked Canadian National.

CNLX — Cylindrical hoppers
CANX — Seen on former CN 52-foot flat cars and some gondolas

Ontario Hydro:

CNHX — Ontario Hydro owns bathtub-style coal gondolas that are assigned to service on CN.

Obsolete marks:

NR — Newfoundland Railway
CNF — CN (used for Newfoundland equipment)
NYDX — New York Despatch Refrigerator Line (absorbed by GTW in 1941-42)
NDRX — National Despatch Refrigerator Lines (absorbed by GTW in 1941-42)