U.S. Class I workforce continues to shrink

As of mid-October, the largest U.S. railroads employed 165,606 people, down slightly from September's level. But on a year-over-year basis, the workforce shrank 2.14 percent compared with October 2014's level, according to data from the Surface Transportation Board.

On a month-over-month basis, the size of the total Class I workforce fell in four of the six employment categories: executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.72 percent; maintenance of way (MOW) and structures, down 0.40 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.40 percent; and transportation (train and engine), down 1.64 percent.

Two categories barely logged increases between mid-September and mid-October: professional and administrative, rose 0.05 percent, and transportation (other than T&E), inched up 0.37 percent.

On a year-over-year basis, workforce categories that posted decreases were transportation (T&E), down 6.31 percent; transportation (other than T&E), down 0.27 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 3.02 percent.

Worker categories that reflected increases year-over-year were professional and administrative, up 0.84 percent; MOW and structures, up 1.73 percent; and maintenance of equipment and stores, up 1.31 percent.