RRA Railamerica

RailAmerica, Inc. (NYSE:RRA) today reported its freight carloads for the month ended March 31, 2006. Total carloads for March 2006 were 111,915, down 5.2% from 118,115 in March 2005. The acquisition of the Alcoa railroads and the Fremont line in Michigan net of the impact of the sale of the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad and the three Alberta properties accounted for a decrease of 2,133 of the carloads. On a "same railroad" basis, March 2006 carloads decreased 3.6% to 108,676, from 112,743 in March 2005. Nine out of fourteen commodity groups had decreased shipments in March 2006. The 4,067 carload decrease was driven primarily by lower shipments of Metals and Paper Products. Bridge Traffic, which is lower margin business, also declined in March. For the three months ended March 31, 2006, total carloads decreased 0.6% to 327,993 from 329,878 in 2005. On a "same railroad" basis for the same period, carloads were 316,213 up 0.2% from 315,589 in 2005. "Same railroad" totals exclude carloads associated with railroads, or portions of railroads, sold or acquired by the Company after January 1, 2005. Historically, the Company has found that carload information may be indicative of freight revenue on its railroads, but may not be indicative of total revenue, operating expenses, operating income or net income. Attached is a comparison of North America carloads by commodity group for the periods ended March 31, 2006 and 2005. RailAmerica, Inc. (NYSE:RRA) is a leading short line and regional rail service provider with 42 railroads operating approximately 7,800 track miles in the United States and Canada. The Company is a member of the Russell 2000(R) Index. Its website may be found at http://www.railamerica.com. -0- *T RailAmerica, Inc. Carload Comparisons by Commodity Group Month/Year-to-Date Ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 Consolidated North American Carloads MARCH YEAR-TO-DATE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Commodity Group 2006 2005 % Chg 2006 2005 % Chg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bridge Traffic 18,795 20,227 -7.1% 58,943 55,624 6.0% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Coal 14,304 13,767 3.9% 39,899 38,112 4.7% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lumber & Forest Products 11,567 12,337 -6.2% 32,593 33,398 -2.4% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Chemicals 10,185 10,631 -4.2% 29,155 30,539 -4.5% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Agricultural & Farm Products 9,159 10,526 -13.0% 28,119 30,522 -7.9% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Metals 8,029 8,909 -9.9% 23,071 23,586 -2.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Metallic/Non-metallic Ores 7,587 5,509 37.7% 20,928 14,798 41.4% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Food Products 7,555 7,702 -1.9% 22,523 22,874 -1.5% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Paper Products 6,720 9,059 -25.8% 20,314 26,603 -23.6% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Minerals 5,138 4,931 4.2% 15,091 13,659 10.5% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Petroleum Products 4,094 5,656 -27.6% 12,393 15,414 -19.6% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Other 3,910 2,971 31.6% 11,117 8,506 30.7% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Intermodal 2,833 3,484 -18.7% 8,035 9,499 -15.4% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Autos 2,039 2,406 -15.3% 5,812 6,744 -13.8% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 111,915 118,115 -5.2% 327,993 329,878 -0.6% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- *T -0- *T "Same Railroad" Carloads MARCH YEAR-TO-DATE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Commodity Group 2006 2005 % Chg 2006 2005 % Chg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bridge Traffic 18,795 20,227 -7.1% 58,943 55,621 6.0% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Coal 14,304 13,767 3.9% 39,899 38,112 4.7% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lumber & Forest Products 11,567 11,374 1.7% 32,056 30,826 4.0% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Chemicals 10,005 10,325 -3.1% 28,468 29,567 -3.7% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Agricultural & Farm Products 9,159 9,731 -5.9% 27,753 28,366 -2.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Metals 7,838 8,879 -11.7% 22,509 23,488 -4.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Food Products 7,499 7,694 -2.5% 22,235 22,745 -2.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Paper Products 6,568 7,567 -13.2% 19,023 22,451 -15.3% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Metallic/Non-metallic Ores 5,276 5,046 4.6% 14,170 13,610 4.1% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Minerals 5,048 4,924 2.5% 14,863 13,635 9.0% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Petroleum Products 3,949 4,388 -10.0% 11,591 12,511 -7.4% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Other 3,874 2,931 32.2% 11,034 8,414 31.1% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Intermodal 2,833 3,484 -18.7% 8,035 9,499 -15.4% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Autos 1,961 2,406 -18.5% 5,634 6,744 -16.5% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 108,676 112,743 -3.6% 316,213 315,589 0.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- *T