<p>Rail freight volumes have hit record highs on the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) managed networks in South Australia, Western Australia and Victoria.</p> <p>ARTC said the three months of September, October and November all recorded increases on volumes for the corresponding months in 2003.</p> <p>The corporation’s managing director, David Marchant, said the volume increase showed very strong growth in the rail freight sector.</p> <p>"While October and November are traditionally our two strongest months these record growths were contributed from good increases across the majority of our customers and continue the sustained trend for freight forwarders to move increasing volumes of freight by rail," Mr Marchant said.</p> <p>Rail operators moved 2.989 bn gross tonne km (gtk) in September, a 14.9% increase on September 2003.</p> <p>October recorded the highest monthly figure to date, with 3.195 bn gtk, up 14.5% on the same period last year.</p> <p>The second highest monthly total followed in November 3.081 bn gtk, which was 10.7% higher than November 2003.</p> <p>The results follow similar increases for the months of July and August.</p> <p>Rail’s share of the East-West freight market continues at 81%, ARTC said.</p> <br />
