Freight rail operator Genesee & Wyoming Inc. said Monday that January traffic fell 9.8 percent, led by steep declines in shipments of coal and farm products.

The company said traffic dropped to 63,862 carloads, a decline of 6,923 from January 2008.

Coal, coke and ore shipments fell 18 percent, to 16,373 carloads from 19,929 a year earlier due to less traffic in the Rocky Mountains and Illinois, the company said.

Farm and food products shipments tumbled 21 percent, to 6,720 from 8,500 on weak results in Australia; and pulp and paper dropped 20 percent, to 6,697 from 8,404, on weakness in Canada and the southern U.S.

Shipments of lumber, chemicals and petroleum products increased by small percentages. Autos grew by a larger percentage but accounted for only 1.3 percent of traffic.

Genesee shares fell 22 cents to close at $29.10.