U.S. Class I employment dipped in December

As of mid-December 2019, Class Is employed 131,486 people, down 1.31 percent since November's level and down 11 percent from December 2018's count, according to Surface Transportation Board (STB) data.

All six workforce categories posted month-to-month employment decreases. They were: executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.09 percent to 7,622 employees; professional and administrative, down 0.91 percent to 10,811; maintenance of way and structures, down 1.48 percent to 30,780; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 2.67 percent to 22,745; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.79 percent to 5,395; and transportation (train and engine), down 0.92 percent to 54,133.

On a year-over-year basis, all categories also posted decreases. They were: executives, officials and staff assistants, down 7.53 percent; professional and administrative, down 7.61 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 3.44 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 16.73 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 4.55 percent; and transportation (train and engine), down 14.01 percent.

By individual railroad, the STB's U.S. Class I workforce data shows that as of mid-December, BNSF Railway Co. employed 40,714 people; Union Pacific Railroad, 37,105; Norfolk Southern Railway, 22,294; CSX, 18,567; CN/Grand Trunk, 6,902; Kansas City Southern, 3,026; and Canadian Pacific Soo Line, 2,878.