Glossary of Terms

Class 1 Railroad

A Class I railroad in the United States, or a Class I railway (also Class I rail carrier) in Canada, is one of the largest freight railroads, as classified based on operating revenue. Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III. The exact revenues required to be in each class have varied through the years, and they are now continuously adjusted for inflation. The threshold for a Class I Railroad in 2006 was $346.8 million.

CN

CN is the tradename for Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) and its operating railroad subsidiaries.

Cogeneration

Cogeneration plants simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat and can utilize a variety of fuel sources including wood.

Dangerous Goods

In Canada, the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, section 1.4, defines dangerous goods as: explosives, gases, flammable and combustible liquids, flammable solids, oxidizing substances, organic peroxides, poisonous (toxic) and infectious substances, nuclear substances, corrosives, or miscellaneous products, substances or organisms considered by the Governor in Council to be dangerous to life, health, property or the environment when handled, offered for transport or transported.

In the United States, a dangerous good is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations as a substance or material which has been determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce, and which has been so designated.

Energy Efficiency

This term refers to how effectively energy is being used for a given purpose. For example, providing a similar (or better) level of service with less energy consumption on a per unit basis is considered an improvement in energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is measured in units of energy such as British thermal units (BTU), megajoules (MJ), gigajoules (GJ), kilocalories (kcal), or kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Energy Intensity

The amount of energy used per unit of activity. Examples of activity measures are households, floor space, passenger-kilometres and tonne-kilometres.

Fuel Efficiency

The output one gets for a unit amount of fuel input such as "miles per gallon" or "litres per 100 kilometres" (l/100 km) for an automobile or ton-miles (of freight) for rail.

Greenhouse Gas Intensity

Greenhouse Gas Intensity at CN refers to the number of kilograms of carbon emissions emitted per ton-mile of freight moved.

Gross Ton Mile

A measure of the movement of one ton of freight or equipment over one mile.

Heavy Truck

A truck with a gross vehicle weight that is more than, or equal to, 14,970 kg (33,001 lb). The gross vehicle weight is the weight of the empty vehicle plus the maximum anticipated load weight.

Interline

Interline refers to shipments that involve more than one railroad as they move from origin to destination.

Remediation

Environmental remediation deals with the removal of pollution or contaminants from the environment that have affected the soil, groundwater or surface water, for the general protection of human health and the environment.

Sustainability

The ability to meet present needs without compromising those of future generations. It relates to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects of human society, as well as the non-human environment.

TEST Car

The TEST car is a refurbished passenger coach car that contains state-of-the-art technology that analyzes and monitors geometric imperfections of the track structure as well as rail wear using video cameras, lasers, electronic sensors, simulators and talking computers. Any imperfections that exceed FRA or Transport Canada safety guidelines or CN's own standards are immediately addressed by maintenance personnel. Information from the car is also used for long- and short-term maintenance planning purposes as well as in capital.

Trip Plan

A detailed transit plan for every shipment on CN and connecting lines that includes the stations the shipment is scheduled to pass through and estimated time of arrival at destination.

Waste Fuel

A name applied to any number of energy sources other than conventional fuels used in the cement industry. It includes materials such as tires, municipal waste and landfill off-gases.