BOCA RATON, Fla. — RailAmerica Inc. said its fourth-quarter profit fell to $5.2 million, or 19 cents a share, from $7.1 million, or 36 cents a share, a year ago, although its annual profit climbed, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Quarterly profit fell, the company said, largely because of a one-time gain in the fourth quarter of 2000, when RailAmerica reported a profit of $9.1 million from the sale of its specialty truck trailer-manufacturing operation. RailAmerica also operated five fewer railroads in 2001 than in 2000.
For all of 2001, RailAmerica’s profit rose to $17 million, or 71 cents a share, from $11.7 million, or 60 cents a share, in 2000.
Boca Raton-based RailAmerica calls itself the world’s largest short line and regional railroad operator.