Long-term debt (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract]

ScheduleOfDebtTableTextBlock

				Outstanding US dollar-denominated amount
								December 31,
In millions			Maturity					2013			2012
Debentures and notes: (A)
Canadian National series:
	4.40%	10-year notes (B)	Mar. 15, 2013	$	-	$	-		$	398
	4.95%	6-year notes (B)	Jan. 15, 2014		325		346			323
	-	2-year floating rate notes (C)	Nov. 6, 2015		350		372			-
	5.80%	10-year notes (B)	June 1, 2016		250		266			249
	1.45%	5-year notes (B)	Dec. 15, 2016		300		319			298
	5.85%	10-year notes (B)	Nov. 15, 2017		250		266			249
	5.55%	10-year notes (B)	May 15, 2018		325		346			323
	6.80%	20-year notes (B)	July 15, 2018		200		213			199
	5.55%	10-year notes (B)	Mar. 1, 2019		550		585			547
	2.85%	10-year notes (B)	Dec. 15, 2021		400		425			398
	2.25%	10-year notes (B)	Nov. 15, 2022		250		266			249
	7.63%	30-year debentures	May 15, 2023		150		159			149
	6.90%	30-year notes (B)	July 15, 2028		475		505			473
	7.38%	30-year debentures (B)	Oct. 15, 2031		200		213			199
	6.25%	30-year notes (B)	Aug. 1, 2034		500		532			498
	6.20%	30-year notes (B)	June 1, 2036		450		479			448
	6.71%	Puttable Reset Securities PURSSM (B)	July 15, 2036		250		266			249
	6.38%	30-year debentures (B)	Nov. 15, 2037		300		319			298
	3.50%	30-year notes (B)	Nov. 15, 2042		250		266			249
	4.50%	30-year notes (B)	Nov. 7, 2043		250		266			-
Illinois Central series:
	5.00%	99-year income debentures	Dec. 1, 2056		7		7			7
	7.70%	100-year debentures	Sep. 15, 2096		125		133			124
Total US dollar-denominated debentures and notes				$	6,157		6,549			5,927
BC Rail series:
	Non-interest bearing 90-year subordinated notes (D)		July 14, 2094				842			842
Total debentures and notes							7,391			6,769
Other:
	Commercial paper (E) (F)						273			-
	Accounts receivable securitization (G)						250			-
	Capital lease obligations and other (H)						783			985
Total debt, gross							8,697			7,754
Less:
	Net unamortized discount						857			854
Total debt (1) (I)							7,840			6,900
Less:
	Current portion of long-term debt (I)						1,021			577
Total long-term debt						$	6,819		$	6,323
(1)	See Note 17 - Financial instruments, for the fair value of debt.
Footnotes to the table follow on the next page

Schedule of Gross Issuance Repayments Commercial Paper

The following table presents the gross issuances and repayments of commercial paper:

In millions		2013		2012		2011
Issuances of commercial paper	$	3,255	$	1,861	$	659
Repayments of commercial paper	$	(2,987)	$	(1,943)	$	(575)

Long term debt maturities, including repurchase arrangements and capital lease repayments on debt outstanding for the next five years and thereafter

Long-term debt maturities, including repurchase arrangements and capital lease repayments on debt outstanding as at December 31, 2013, for the next five years and thereafter, are as follows:

In millions			Capital leases		Debt		Total
2014	(1)	$	153	$	868	$	1,021
2015			83		369		452
2016			287		582		869
2017			143		263		406
2018			7		556		563
2019 and thereafter			109		4,420		4,529
		$	782	$	7,058	$	7,840
(1)	Current portion of long-term debt.