This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating railways for the transport of goods on a rail line that does not comprise a rail network. A short-haul railway line usually takes goods from one or more points to a point on the larger transportation network, which is usually a mainline railway, but may be a trans-shipment point onto another transportation mode.

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating railways for the transport of goods over a mainline rail network. A mainline rail network is a system that usually comprises one or more trunk lines, into which a network of branch lines feed. The branch lines may be part of the mainline establishment or may be separate establishments of short-haul freight railways.

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the railway transport of passengers.