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The U.S. Class I workforce closed 2008 by shrinking for the fifth-straight month. As of mid-December, the workforce stood at 161,189, a 1.1 percent decrease compared with November’s level, according to the Surface Transportation Board’s most recent employment data. The workforce also decreased 1.9 percent vs. December 2007’s count.

However, only two workforce segments fell from November levels: maintenance of way and structures, down 2.5 percent to 34,953, and transportation (train and engine), down 2.2 percent to 64,982. On a year-over-year basis, the segments increased 0.6 percent and declined 4.5 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, two other segments registered month-over-month and year-over-year gains: maintenance of equipment and stores workers totaled 30,807, up 1.3 percent from November’s level and 0.3 percent from December 2007’s total; and executives/officials/staff assistants totaled 10,151, up 0.3 percent vs. both counts.

As of mid-December, professional and administrative staff stood at 13,562, up 0.4 percent from the previous month’s total but down 1.6 percent from December 2007’s level. Transportation (other than T&E) ranks totaled 6,734, up 0.6 percent on a month-over-month basis and down 1.5 percent in a year-over-year comparison.