(The following story by Michael Tomberlin appeared on the Birmingham News website on February 2, 2009.)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Birmingham Southern Railroad has cut 41 jobs at its Fairfield operation.
The railroad company, owned by Pittsburgh-based Transtar, employed 180 before the layoffs.
A spokeswoman for Transtar said the cuts were due to waning market conditions. She would not speculate whether the cuts would become permanent.
The railroad is a short-line railroad that serves a number of companies, including its primary customer, U.S. Steel’s Fairfield Works, the center of its operating area. Its rail runs from Bessemer to East Thomas near Ensley and another rail runs to Port Birmingham to the rail and barge transfer facility there.