U.S. Class I workforce notched another gain in November

The U.S. Class I workforce continued to enlarge last month. As of mid-November, the large railroads employed 169,845 people, up 0.4 percent from October's level and 4.1 percent from November 2013's mark, according to Surface Transportation Board employment data.

Only the transportation (other than train and engine) workforce sector registered a month-over-month decline, dipping 0.3 percent to 6,699. The other five sectors grew less than 1 percent: transportation (train and engine), 0.5 percent to 71,089; maintenance of equipment and stores, 0.5 percent to 30,476; executives, officials and staff assistants, 0.3 percent to 9,999; professional and administrative, 0.25 percent to 14,249; and maintenance-of-way and structures, 0.15 percent to 37,333.

All six sectors posted gains on a year-over-year basis. Four of the increases were significant: transportation (train and engine), up 7.7 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, up 3 percent; professional and administrative, up 2.75 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, up 1.6 percent. The number of maintenance-of-way and structures workers rose 0.4 percent and number of transportation (other than train and engine) employees ratcheted up less than a tenth of a percent.