CN Train Symbols

I live near CN's [ex-WC] Waukesha Sub. I often on the scanner the dispatcher referring trains 442 or 418. What are the origin and destination points for these trains? Is there a website that lists CN's train symbols?

Ed Kaplan

No there isn't an official website. Even number trains are usually south/East bound while odd are North/West bounds. I don't work on the WC side but those sound to me like they come from Northern Wisconsin (someone could probably correct me on that one).

I'm not aware of a website that has a list of CN train symbols however there is a book, The Canadian Trackside, which does have a very comprehensive list.

The 3-digit number commonly used in CN operations is only part of the complete symbol and there could be several different trains with the same number but different symbols.

For example:

• A-442-51 : Edmonton-Calgary : Daily : General freight
• A-442-81 : Green Bay-Chicago : Daily : BRC clearing

The 400 series trains are mostly short haul merchandise trains and the only 418 listed (A-418-51) operates only in Alberta. If there is a 418 running in WC terriitory then it must be a new one that hasn't made the list yet.

From another forum. This will help you out.

TrainSim Discussion

i think cn's symbols are very numbered a lot like csx's.

the lower the number class [100 series more important than 300 or 400 series], the more important the train is [and the more upset they get when their is a delay of power at dispatch..]