(The Associated Press circulated the following on June 12.)
GREENWICH, Conn. — Short line and regional freight railroad operator Genesee & Wyoming Inc. said Wednesday its May traffic declined modestly, as scheduled maintenance at two power plants in Illinois trimmed coal, coke and ore volumes.
The company hauled 68,212 carloads in the month, compared with 68,415 carloads during May 2006. Coal, coke and ore volumes fell the most, dropping 22 percent to 13,047 carloads from 16,701 carloads a year ago.
The railroad also filled fewer carloads with forest products, pulp and paper, as well as other commodities due to rerouting after a trestle failure on its Meridian & Bigbee Railroad. Genesee & Wyoming said carloads of farm and food products, minerals, stone and petroleum products increased during the month.
Excluding carloads from its Australia unit, which the company began operating in June, and carloads from the Chattahoochee Bay Railroad it took over in August, same-railroad traffic in May 2007 decreased 10.1 percent.