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Yesterday, RailAmerica Inc. reported January carloads totaling 67,444 units, up 4.6 percent compared with January 2009 traffic.

Carloads increased in seven of 12 commodity groups. Most of the traffic gain is attributable to higher agricultural products, chemicals and metallic ores/metals volume, according to RailAmerica, which owns 40 regionals and short lines in the United States and Canada.

“The delayed harvest in the Midwest favorably impacted the agricultural products category,” RailAmerica officials said in a prepared statement.

However, continued softness in the construction sector decreased forest products and non-metallic minerals volume, while weak demand for coal in the central U.S. reduced coal carloads.