(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on March 22, 2010.)
After contracting a tad in January, the U.S. Class I workforce expanded a smidge in February. As of mid-February, the workforce stood at 146,308, up 0.5 percent from January’s level, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data. But on a year-over-year basis, the workforce shrank 6.8 percent.
The transportation (other than train and engine) workforce of 6,811 registered the largest month-over-month gain at 4.3 percent, yet declined 5.1 percent compared with February 2009’s level. Transportation (train and engine) ranks, which numbered 56,355 in mid-February, increased 0.9 percent vs. January’s level and decreased 8.1 percent vs. February 2009’s count.
Meanwhile, the maintenance-of-way and structures workforce of 32,833 rose 0.3 percent on a month-over-month basis and dropped 4.5 percent on a year-over-year basis. The number of maintenance-of-equipment and stores workers totaled 28,066, down 0.4 percent and 7.4 percent compared with January and February 2009 figures, respectively.
Executives/officials/staff assistants numbering 8,977 declined 0.6 percent vs. January’s level and 11.4 percent vs. February 2009’s total. Professional and administrative staff, which numbered 13,266, inched up 0.1 percent from January’s count, but dropped 2.8 percent from February 2009’s level.