GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 14, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) (NYSE: GWR) today reported traffic volumes for December 2008 and the fourth quarter of 2008.

GWI's traffic in December 2008 from continuing operations was 70,555 carloads, an increase of 8,747 carloads, or 14.2 percent, compared with December 2007. GWI's traffic in the fourth quarter of 2008 was 224,808 carloads, an increase of 32,949 carloads, or 17.2 percent, compared with the fourth quarter of 2007.

The table below sets forth carloading information for December 2008 and December 2007:

    Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
    Continuing Operations    December     % of  December     % of
    by Commodity Group           2008    Total      2007    Total

    Coal, Coke & Ores          19,072    27.0%    17,232    27.9%
    Minerals & Stone           10,293    14.6%     8,845    14.3%
    Pulp & Paper                8,925    12.6%    10,010    16.2%
    Farm & Food Products        8,889    12.6%     5,263     8.5%
    Metals                      5,907     8.4%     5,782     9.4%
    Lumber & Forest Products    3,953     5.6%     6,221    10.1%
    Chemicals-Plastics          3,869     5.5%     3,420     5.5%
    Petroleum Products          2,297     3.3%     2,540     4.1%
    Autos & Auto Parts            298     0.4%       871     1.4%
    Intermodal                     70     0.1%        66     0.1%
    Other                       6,982     9.9%     1,558     2.5%

    Total                      70,555   100.0%    61,808   100.0%

GWI railroads acquired within the last 12 months shipped a combined 15,700 carloads in December 2008. GWI's same-railroad traffic in December 2008 decreased by 6,953 carloads, or 11.2 percent, compared with December 2007. The decrease was principally due to declines in metals traffic of 2,576 carloads primarily in GWI's New York/Pennsylvania, Canada and Oregon Regions, lumber & forest products traffic of 2,364 carloads primarily in GWI's Oregon Region and GWI's Southern Region and coal, coke & ores of 2,081 carloads primarily in GWI's New York/Pennsylvania Region and GWI's Rocky Mountain Region. These decreases were partially offset by a 2,777 carload increase in farm & food products traffic primarily due to increased grain shipments in GWI's Australia Region and in GWI's Oregon Region. All other same-railroad traffic decreased by a net 2,709 carloads.

The table below sets forth carloading information for the fourth quarter of 2008 and the fourth quarter of 2007:

    Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
    Continuing Operations    4th Qtr     % of   4th Qtr     % of
    by Commodity Group          2008    Total      2007    Total

    Coal, Coke & Ores         58,490    26.0%    51,543    26.9%
    Minerals & Stone          37,500    16.7%    29,833    15.4%
    Pulp & Paper              27,988    12.5%    30,102    15.7%
    Farm & Food Products      21,903     9.7%    15,288     8.0%
    Metals                    19,206     8.5%    18,334     9.6%
    Lumber & Forest Products  16,486     7.3%    19,955    10.4%
    Chemicals-Plastics        12,328     5.5%    10,714     5.6%
    Petroleum Products         7,123     3.2%     7,595     4.0%
    Autos & Auto Parts         1,912     0.9%     3,301     1.7%
    Intermodal                   277     0.1%       428     0.2%
    Other                     21,595     9.6%     4,766     2.5%

    Total                    224,808   100.0%   191,859   100.0%

GWI railroads acquired within the last 12 months shipped a combined 49,763 carloads in the fourth quarter of 2008. Same-railroad traffic in the fourth quarter of 2008 decreased by 16,814 carloads, or 8.8 percent, compared with the fourth quarter of 2007. The decrease was principally due to declines of 6,286 carloads of metals traffic, 5,007 carloads of coal, coke & ores traffic, 3,903 carloads of lumber & forest products traffic, and 3,712 carloads of pulp & paper traffic. The decline in fourth quarter 2008 coal, coke & ores traffic was primarily due to reduced shipments in GWI's Rocky Mountain Region where a mine closed in February 2008. All other same-railroad traffic increased by a net 2,094 carloads.

GWI railroads acquired within the last 12 months include: The Maryland Midland Railway, which GWI started operating January 1, 2008, CAGY Industries, Inc., which GWI started operating May 31, 2008, and the Georgia Southwestern Railroad and the Ohio Central Railroad System, both of which GWI purchased on October 1, 2008.

Historically, GWI has found that carload information may be indicative of freight revenues on its railroads, but may not be indicative of total revenues, operating expenses, operating income or net income.

GWI owns and operates short line and regional freight railroads in the United States, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands and owns a minority interest in a railroad in Bolivia. Operations currently include 63 railroads organized in nine regions, with more than 6,700 miles of owned and leased track and approximately 3,000 additional miles under track access arrangements. GWI provides rail service at 16 ports in North America and Europe and performs contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers.

CONTACT: Matthew O. Walsh, Senior Vice President - Corporate Development and Treasurer, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. 203-629-3722

SOURCE Genesee & Wyoming Inc.