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On Tuesday, the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) marked the 90th anniversary of the Canadian Railway Association for National Defense.

The organization expedited the flow of freight cars from the United States to help the Canadian effort during World War I. The association's name later was changed to the Canadian Railway War Board, which dissolved in 1919 and led to the formation of the RAC.

Representatives from Canada's railways first met in Montreal on Oct. 23, 1917, to create a volunteer national board that would coordinate war-related industrial activities. The defense association eventually assumed responsibility for managing labor issues between railroads and their workers.

"The creation of the association marked a significant point in the history of the railway industry in Canada," said RAC President and Chief Executive Officer Cliff Mackay in a prepared statement. "Their activities throughout the war years did not go unnoticed and our continued work as a representative body reflects the importance of a national railway association."