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As U.S. Class Is’ traffic continues to increase, so do their workforces. As of mid-May, the large roads employed 166,860 people, a 0.6 percent increase compared with April and 2.6 percent rise compared with May 2005, according to Surface Transportation Board data. The Class Is employed a total of 165,850, 165,433, 164,797 and 163,406 in April, March, February and January, respectively.

In mid-May, maintenance-of-way and structures employees numbered 35,306, up 1.4 percent compared with April and 3 percent compared with May 2005. The number of maintenance of equipment and stores workers reached 30,143, a 0.1 percent rise compared with April and 0.3 percent increase compared with May 2005.

Meanwhile, train and engine-service workers totaled 70,451, a 0.6 percent increase compared with April and 4 percent rise compared with May 2005. However, transportation (other than train and engine service) employees numbered 7,371, or 0.2 percent fewer than April’s and 0.8 percent less than May 2005’s tallies.

Executives, officials and staff assistants numbered 9,733, up 0.6 percent compared with April and 2.3 percent compared with May 2005. Finally, professional and administrative staff totaled 13,856, a 0.2 percent and 2.4 percent increase compared with the same periods.