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Today, RailAmerica Inc. reported that freight carloads for the month ended Aug. 31 totaled 72,221, up 3.6 percent compared with August 2009’s 69,702 carloads. The results exclude the discontinued Ottawa Valley Railroad operation.

Shipments increased in six of 12 commodity groups, with the highest jumps in the shipment of metallic ores and metals, up 74.8 percent; chemicals, up 17.8 percent; and non-metallic minerals and products, up 7.8 percent.

The largest declines were registered in the shipment of motor vehicles, down 43.4 percent; waste and scrap materials, down 10 percent; and coal, down 4.6 percent.

The company expects carloads to increase about 5 percent in the third quarter compared with the same 2009 period.

RailAmerica owns and operates 40 short line and regional railroads in North America.