The Providence and Worcester Railroad and RailAmerica Announce Strategic Alliance

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Providence and Worcester Railroad (Nasdaq: PWX) and the New England Central Railroad, part of the RailAmerica (NYSE: RA) family, are pleased to announce the establishment of the Great Eastern Route, a new coordinated commercial and operating platform.  This new strategic alliance is being developed to increase our collective business with both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific to rail customers in southern New England and to enhance their global access through our port facilities.

Over the past 5 years the NECR and P&W have jointly invested significant capital in the infrastructure along with the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and the federal government.  These investments enhance our service and combined with this new commercial and operating relationship will provide the basis for a greatly improved customer experience aimed at growing our collective business across all commodity lines.

The alliance recently hosted inspection trains with our Canadian Class I partners and looks forward to establishing new and improved supply chains throughout the region.

RailAmerica, Inc. owns and operates short-line and regional freight railroads in North America, operating a portfolio of 43 individual railroads with approximately 7,400 miles of track in 27 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.  P&W is a regional freight railroad operating in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.  

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain items in this press release and other information we provide from time to time may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and/or section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not necessarily limited to, statements relating to future events and financial performance. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "appears," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," "estimates" and variations on these words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of factors that could lead to actual results materially different from those described in the forward-looking statements. Neither RailAmerica, Inc. nor Providence and Worcester Railroad Company can give any assurance that its expectations will be attained. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of RailAmerica, Inc. and or Providence and Worcester Railroad Company which include, but are not limited to, prolonged capital markets disruption and volatility, general economic conditions and business conditions, our relationships with Class I railroads and other connecting carriers, our ability to obtain railcars and locomotives from other providers on which we are currently dependent, legislative and regulatory developments including rulings by the Surface Transportation Board or the Railroad Retirement Board, strikes or work stoppages by our employees, our transportation of hazardous materials by rail, rising fuel costs, goodwill assessment risks, acquisition risks, competitive pressures within the industry, risks related to the geographic markets in which we operate; and other risks detailed in RailAmerica, Inc.'s or Providence and Worcester Railroad Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.  In addition, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for RailAmerica, Inc. or Providence and Worcester Railroad Company to predict or assess the impact of every factor that may cause its actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. RailAmerica, Inc. and Providence and Worcester Railroad Company each expressly disclaim any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

SOURCE RailAmerica, Inc.