RAILAMERICA’s UNIT IN CHILE SIGNS NATURAL GAS CONTRACT

RAILAMERICAÆS UNIT IN CHILE SIGNS NATURAL GAS CONTRACT       RailAmerica Inc., a major short-line and regional railroad operator, said Friday its Chilean railroad, Empresa de Transporte Ferroviaro S.A. (Ferronor), has signed a $9-million, five-year contract to transport compressed natural gas to northern Chile.
   Ferronor signed the pact with Norgas S.A., of Valparaiso, Chile. On a pre-paid basis, Feronor will move compressed natural gas in tank cars from northwest Argentina into Chile.
   In 1997, RailAmerica purchased a 55-percent interest in Ferronor, a 1,400-mile railroad based in Coquimbo, Chile, for $6.7 million. In 2001, Ferronor posted revenues of $22 million and moved 107,000 carloads of freight.