The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) was originally founded in 1917 as the Canadian Railway War Board in order to coordinate railway activities during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. The first meeting of the organization was held on October 23, 1917, and the name was changed to Railway Association of Canada in 1919. It is presently headquartered in Ottawa

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

and represents around 50 member railways.