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Last month, RailAmerica Inc.’s railroads moved 103,464 carloads, a 5.6 percent decrease compared with May 2005.

On a “same railroad” basis — excluding carloads associated with railroads or portions of railroads sold or acquired after Jan. 1, 2005 — RailAmerica’s May carloads declined 4.6 percent to 100,060 units. The holding company’s railroads moved fewer carloads of petroleum products (down 26.9 percent), metals (12.3 percent), automobiles (11.7 percent) and paper products (10.4 percent) on a year-over-year basis. Bridge traffic also declined 10.5 percent.

During 2006’s first five months, RailAmerica railroads moved 536,108 carloads, a 2.8 percent decrease compared with the same 2005 period. Same railroad carloads totaling 517,927 units fell 1.9 percent for the company, which owns and operates 42 regionals and short lines in the United States and Canada.

Meanwhile, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) reported May North American traffic totaling 68,415 carloads, a 20.2 percent increase compared with May 2005.

Excluding 12,659 carloads from the former Rail Management Corp. railroads — which GWI began operating in June 2005 — monthly same-railroad traffic decreased 2 percent. Australian traffic totaling 85,212 carloads in May increased 4.3 percent compared with May 2005.

GWI owns and operates regionals and short lines in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Bolivia.