(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on February 17, 2011.)
The U.S. Class I workforce shrank a smidge between mid-December and mid-January. As of Jan. 15, the workforce numbered 153,304, down 0.7 percent from mid-December’s level, according to Surface Transportation Board data. However, the size of the workforce increased 4.4 percent from January 2010’s level.
Three employment sectors grew on a month-over-month basis: transportation (other than train and engine), up 2.1 percent to 6,674; maintenance of equipment and stores, up 0.3 percent to 28,605; and executives/officials/staff assistants, up 0.2 percent to 9,189. On a year-over-year basis, the sectors increased 1.8 percent, 1 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.
The maintenance-of-way and structures staff of 34,116 fell 1.4 percent from mid-December’s level, but swelled 2.9 percent from January 2010’s count. Similarly, the number of transportation (train and engine) crews declined 1.3 percent on a month-over-month basis to 61,275, but grew 8.7 percent on a year-over-year basis.
The full story appears on the Progressive Railroading website.