U.S. Class I employment level remained relatively flat in October

U.S. Class Is as of mid-October employed 163,103 people, down only a smidgen from the size of the workforce in mid-September and up 0.4 percent from October 2012's count, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

On a month-over-month basis, only two workforce segments posted declines: transportation (train and engine), down 0.4 percent to 65,941, and maintenance-of-way and structures, down less than 0.1 percent to 37,296. The number of executives, officials and staff assistants rose 0.4 percent to 9,793; size of the professional and administrative staff increased 0.4 percent to 13,814; number of transportation (other than T&E) workers increased 0.3 percent to 6,737; and number of maintenance of equipment and stores employees inched up less than 0.1 percent to 29,522.

The year-over-year gainers and decliners as of mid-October were split at three apiece. The transportation (T&E) workforce climbed 1.3 percent, transportation (other than T&E) workforce rose 1.1 percent, and the maintenance-of-way and structures staff increased 0.2 percent, while the professional and administrative staff shrank 0.8 percent, maintenance of equipment and stores workforce contracted 0.6 percent, and the number of executives, officials and staff assistants declined 0.3 percent.