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RailAmerica Inc. recently reported a 4.8 percent increase in "same railroad" consolidated North American carloads in September. The holding company — which owns and operates 46 short lines — tallied more carloads in 10 out of 14 commodity groups.

During the year's first nine months, RailAmerica's "same railroad" North American carloads rose 4.4 percent to 876,732 compared with similar 2003 data. Same railroad totals exclude carloads moved by railroads or portions of railroads sold or acquired by the company after Jan. 1, 2003.

Meanwhile, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) reported a 12.5 percent rise in same railroad North American carloads during September to 49,327 units. During the third quarter, the company tallied 149,097 North American carloads on a same railroad basis, a 13.1 percent increase compared with third-quarter 2003.

GWI's Australian traffic rose 12.7 percent in September to 81,707 carloads and 14.7 percent in the third quarter to 246,242 carloads compared with similar 2003 data. The increases primarily were driven by a healthier grain market compared with last year's drought-reduced harvests, company officials said in a prepared statement.

GWI owns or holds an interest in more than 20 regionals and short lines in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Bolivia.