April 28, 2005 7:00 AM, EDT

RailAmerica Earnings Increase

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hort-rail line RailAmerica Inc. reported first-quarter earnings of $6.2 million or 16 cents a share, up from $1.3 million or 4 cents a year ago.

Revenue rose 14.7% to $14.1 million, the railroad said in a statement.

The company’s earnings included an $800,000 pretax charge for its sale, ordered by the Surface Transportation Board, of the La Harpe-Collins line of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway.

RailAmerica has 44 railroads operating about 8,800 miles of track in the United States and Canada.