Server: Microsoft-IIS/3.0 Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 17:50:06 GMT Content-Type: text/html Accept-Ranges: bytes Last-Modified: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 13:48:20 GMT Set-Cookie: EGSOFT_ID=128.2.206.74-3165888496.29160924; expires=Fri, 31-Dec-2010 00:00:00 GMT; path=/ Content-Length: 2890 RAILAMERICA

BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE
SELLS WASHINGTON RAIL LINE TO RAILAMERICA, INC.

Ft. Worth, Texas and Boca Raton, FL--September 9, 1996--The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (NYSE: BNI) ("BNSF") and RailAmerica, Inc., (Nasdaq:Rail) today announced that BNSF has sold its Oroville line, a 131 mile rail line in north central Washington, to a RailAmerica, Inc. subsidiary, Cascade and Columbia River Railroad Company ("CCRR"). Financing was provided by National Bank of Canada.

Effective today, CCRR commenced operations of the Oroville line, with traffic on this line being interchanged at BNSF's Wenatchee yard. CCRR has established its general offices for the new railroad at Omak,Washington.

The line, which extends from Wenatchee to Oroville, Washington, was offered for sale in April as part of BNSF's ongoing asset evaluation program. BNSF is considering the sale of approximately 4,000 miles of light-density lines over the coming years as part of this program. Since becoming a public company in 1992, RailAmerica has been actively pursuing the acquisition of rail lines throughout the United States and Canada.

In commenting on the acquisition, Gary O. Marino, Chairman, President and CEO of RailAmerica, said, "This marks our first acquisition of a rail line in the west and our first rail line purchase from BNSF. We look forward to expanding our relationship with BNSF, one of North America's leading rail carriers, and we are looking forward to our partnership in providing rail freight service to this important region of Washington State. We are confident that we can significantly increase the traffic base on this line, which will benefit the local regional economy, by expanding markets for products originating on the CCRR with dependable, efficient long-haul services through BNSF."

The CCRR marks the ninth railroad acquired and operated by RailAmerica, a multi-modal transportation company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. Including CCRR, RailAmerica owns shortline railroads totaling more than 600 route miles in Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Indiana, Texas, Minnesota, and now, Washington. The Company also owns Kalyn/Siebert, Inc., a specialty truck trailer manufacturer, and Steel City Carriers, Inc., a Canadian-based motor carrier. BNSF owns the largest rail network in the United States, with more than 31,000 miles of line serving 27 states and two Canadian provinces.