Power of Attorney

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Allison M.
Fergus the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as an
officer and/or director of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5
in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may be
necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and
execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar
authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which,
in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or
legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by
such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney
shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact
may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and
perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the
exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-
fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of
attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.

The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorney-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at
the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer
required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorney-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be executed
as of this lst day of July, 2011.


/s/ Richard H. Allert
          NAME