CN's E. Hunter Harrison is Railway Age 2002 Railroader of the Year.

Business Editors

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2002

E. Hunter Harrison, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Canadian National (NYSE:CNI)(TSE:CNR.), was named 2002 Railroader of the Year today by railway industry trade journal Railway Age for his leadership in designing and implementing the scheduled railroad at CN.

Railway Age Editor William C. Vantuono said: "We chose Hunter Harrison for this honour for a range of reasons. First and foremost, we believe he's quite possibly the best operating man in the railroad industry today. He's set a benchmark for the Class I's with CN's highly successful scheduled railroad. Other carriers are following CN's example by implementing some form of scheduled operations of their own.

"Harrison's proven methods have helped give CN the lowest operating ratio among all North American Class I carriers. He's also an appealing choice, an up-from-the-ranks career railroader who knows the industry inside out."

Harrison said: "The Railroader of the Year Award is deeply gratifying for me and the CN team that's made the scheduled railroad work so effectively. When we launched our new operating plan in 1998, there were sceptics who said carload railroading is essentially a 'random-event' process that can't be scheduled. But we've demonstrated that the scheduling of cars, trains and every support process leading up to car movements can be done. We've shown it can deliver real value.

"Today CN's on-time performance for carload freight is better than 90 per cent. And we've registered significant gains in productivity - we're pulling more freight with 800 fewer locomotives and 22,000 fewer freight cars in our fleet than in 1998. That's proof that a railroad can achieve better service and lower costs at the same time. Our next goal is using CN's superior service to gain market share and to improve the quality of our revenue. This is the way for CN - and the entire industry - to grow the business."

Paul M. Tellier, CN's president and chief executive officer and Railway Age's 1997 Railroader of the Year, said: "All of us at CN are delighted with Hunter Harrison's award. There is no doubt in my mind that Hunter is the best railroader on the continent, and this is recognition of it. Hunter is focused, inventive and articulate, a natural leader and motivator who has played a significant role in CN's remarkable turnaround."

Canadian National Railway Company spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, St. Louis, Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.