(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on May 17, 2011.)
The U.S. Class I workforce continued to grow last month. As of mid-April, the large roads employed 156,777 people, a 0.6 percent increase compared with March’s level and 3.8 percent gain compared with April 2010’s workforce, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.
All other workforce categories posted gains vs. April 2010 levels. The transportation (train and engine) workforce of 62,872 swelled 6 percent; transportation (other than T&E) workforce of 6,665 grew 2.6 percent; maintenance-of-way and structures workforce of 35,573 rose 2.5 percent; executives/officials/staff assistants ranks totaling 9,238 increased 2.4 percent; and maintenance of equipment and stores ranks totaling 35,573 grew 2 percent.
Full story: Progressive Railroading