Figures released by the Surface Transportation Board on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, show total Class I railroad employment as of mid-September 2014 rose 3.35% to 168,703, from mid-September 2013, and also added 715 positions from mid-August 2014, a rise of 0.43%.
Transportation (train and engine), again continuing a months-long trend of robust growth, rose 6.25% measured against levels of a year ago, and rose 1.19% from the prior month.
Categories gaining year-over-year were also included Maintenance of equipment and stores, up 2.69% from September 2013, Professional and Administrative, up 2.9%, and Executives, officials, and staff assistants, up 1.98%. Two categories declined year-over-year: Transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.24%, and Maintenance of way and structures, slipping a modest 011%.
For a second straight month, employment results were more evenly split from the previous month of August. STB reported that besides the gains notched by Transportation (train and engine) In September from the prior month, Maintenance of equipment and stores rose 0.46%, while Transportation (other than train and engine) barely edged up 0.03%. Offsetting those advances in part were Professional and administrative, off 1.03%, Executives, officials, and staff assistants, down 0.56%, and Maintenance of way and structures, barely in the red, off 0.13% measured against August 2013 employment.