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The U.S. Class I workforce shrank slightly last month. As of mid-September, the large roads employed 160,428 people, down 1.4 percent from August's level, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

On a month-over-month basis, only the transportation (other than train and engine) workforce registered a gain, increasing 2.2 percent to 6,817. Compared with August levels, the number of professional and administrative staff declined 2.2 percent to 13,669; executives, officials and staff assistants decreased 1.8 percent to 9,599; maintenance-of-way and structures employees dropped 1.8 percent to 36,784; transportation (T&E) ranks contracted 1.8 percent to 63,957; and maintenance of equipment and stores workers dipped 0.2 percent to 29,602.

On a year-over-year basis, the total workforce grew slightly, by 0.1 percent. Only two segments posted declines: professional and administrative staff at 1.6 percent, and transportation (T&E) at 0.7 percent. The number of executives, officials and staff assistants expanded 2.8 percent;  transportation (other than T&E) workers climbed 1.6 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores employees increased 0.8 percent; and maintenance-of-way and structures ranks rose 0.6 percent.