Figures released by the Surface Transportation Board show total Class I railroad employment as of mid-August 2014 rose 2.8% to 167, 988, from mid-August 2013, and also added 850 positions from mid-July 2014, a rise of 0.51%.
Transportation (train and engine), still continuing a months-long trend of robust growth, rose %% measured against levels of a year ago, and rose 1.12% from the prior month.
Categories gaining year-over-year were also included Maintenance of equipment and stores, up 2.8% from August 2013, Professional and Administrative, up 1.86%, Executives, officials, and staff assistants, up 1.85%, and Maintenance of way and structures, up 0.19%. Only Transportation (other than train and engine) slipped from a year ago, down 1.18%.
Results were more evenly split from the previous month. STB reported that besides the gains notched by Transportation (train and engine), Maintenance of equipment and stores rose 059%, while Executives, officials, and staff assistants rose 0.28%. Offsetting those advances in part were Transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.68%, Professional and administrative, off 0.38%, and Maintenance of way and structures, barely in the red, off 0.06% measured against July 2013 employment.