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Today, RailAmerica Inc. reported May carloads totaling 75,384, up 8 percent compared with May 2011. On a "same railroad" basis, carloads rose 5.7 percent. 

The company — which owns 45 regionals and short lines in the United States and Canada — posted gains in eight of 12 commodity groups, with the largest year-over-year increases registered by motor vehicles (152.9 percent), forest products (33 percent) and coal (22.4 percent).

Coal volume compared favorably to May 2011 because the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad experienced flooding-related service disruptions at that time, RailAmerica officials said in a prepared statement. Forest products volume climbed in all regions, and motor vehicle traffic primarily rose in the Midwest and West regions, they said.
 
The commodity groups that posted the largest declines were pulp, paper and allied products (7.3 percent), and metallic ores and metals (5.1 percent).  The volumes of both groups primarily declined in the Northeast Region, RailAmerica officials said.