Genesee & Wyoming logged traffic gains in December, fourth quarter

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) railroads in December registered 155,769 carloads, up 11 percent compared with December 2012 on a pro-forma basis, which includes railroads associated with the RailAmerica Inc. acquisition.

Metallic ores volume jumped 38 percent, coal and coke carloads shot up 25.1 percent, agricultural products traffic climbed 20.3 percent, autos and auto parts volume rose 18.3 percent, and petroleum products traffic increased 10.2 percent. Only three commodity groups registered year-over-year declines: minerals and stone, lumber and forest products, and intermodal.

In the fourth quarter, GWI railroads logged 471,906 carloads, up 7.5 percent compared with the same 2012 period on a pro-forma basis.

Metallic ores volume soared 46.2 percent, autos and auto parts traffic jumped 18.2 percent, petroleum products loads rose 16.3 percent, coal and coke loads climbed 12.7 percent, and metals volume increased 11.7 percent compared with fourth-quarter 2012 figures. Only three commodity groups registered declines: minerals and stone, lumber and forest products, and other traffic.

GWI owns and operates 111 regionals and short lines in the United States, Canada, Australia, Netherlands and Belgium, including 108 in North America.