The series consists of annual reports from companies prior to the constitution of Canadian National Railways Company. Theses companies are: Canadian National Express Co, Temiscuata Ry, Canadian National Telegraph, Quebec and Lake St.John Ry Co, International Bridge Co, International Railway of New-Brunswick, Bay of Quinte Ry Co, Canadian Northern Express Co, Central Vermont Ry, Moncton and Bouctouche Ry, Edmonton Yukon and Pacific Ry, Elgin and Havelock Ry, Intercolonial Ry, Prince Edward Island Co, Salisbury and Albert Ry, Wabash Railroad, St.Martin's Ry, St.Jonh and Quebec Ry, York and Carleton Ry, Erie London and Tilsonburg Ry, National Transcontinental Ry, St. Clair Tunnel Co, Grand Trunk Pacific Branch Lines Co, Grand Trunk Pacific, Qu'appelle Lang Lake and Saskatchewant RR and Steamship Co, Wisconsin Grand Trunk Western Railroad Co, Muskigan Ry and Navigation Co, Wisconsin Grand Trunk Milwaukee Co Ferry Co, Halifax and South Western, Owen Sound Branch Grand Trunk Ry, Buffalo and Lake Huron, Toronto Belt Line, Canadian Northern Ontario Ry, Canadian Northern Quebec Ry, Atlantic and St.Lawrence Railroad Co, Minnesota and Manitoba Ry, Duluth Rainy Lake and Winnipeg Ry Co, Muskegon Ry and Navigation Co, Bay City Terminal Ry Co, United States and Canada RR Co, Champlain and St.Lawrence Ry Co, International Bridge Co of Buffalo, Chicago, Kalamazoo Terminal RR Co, Saginaw and Mackinaw RR Co, Michigan, Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Ry Co, Cincinnati, Saginaw and Mackinaw Ry Co, Michigan, Toledo, Saginaw, Muskegon Ry Co, Michigan, Detroit and Huron Ry Co, Chicago Grand Trunk Ry Co, Michigan Air Line Ry, Great North Western Telegraph of Canada, Canadian National Lines in New England, Illinois Grand Trunk Junction, Vermont and Province Line RR, Muskegon Ry Co, CNR in New York and Niagara frontier, Lewiston and Auburn Ry Co, Pennsylvania - Car Ferry Operating Agency, Norway Branch RR, Chicago, Detroit and Canada Grand Trunk Junction Ry Co, Toronto Suburban Ry, Temisgaming and Northern Ontario Ry, Algoma Eastern Ry Co, Niagara and St. Catherine's and Toronto Ry Co, Pacific Northern and Amineca Ry Co, the Irandale Bancroft and Ottawa Ry, Brockville, Westport and North Western Ry Co, Central Ontario Ry Trenton, the Magnetawan River Ry Co, Canadian Atlantic Ry Co, Canadian Northern Ry, Pontiac Oxford and Northern Ry Co, Grand Rapids Terminal RR Co, Pontiac Oxford and Port Austin RR Co, Illinois Grand Trunk Western, New London Northern RR Co, Canada Atlantic and Transit Co, Central Vermont Transportation Co and Ontario Car Ferry Co.
Many of these companies were renting tracks in United States and they reported, once a year, to each State about their activities (Maine, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, etc.) Other reports were for Minister of Railways and Canals of the Dominion of Canada or to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa, Canada.
