Figures released by the Surface Transportation Board Friday, Dec. 19, 2014, show total Class I railroad employment as of mid-November 2014 rose 4.07% to 169,845, from mid-November 2013, and also added 621 positions from mid-October 2014, a rise of 0.37%.
Transportation (train and engine), again continuing a months-long trend of robust growth, rose 7.69% measured against levels of a year ago, also rising 0.52% from the prior month.
All categories gained year-over-year: Maintenance of equipment and stores advanced 2.95%; Professional and Administrative rose 2.75%; Executives, officials, and staff assistants moved up 1.55%, Maintenance of way and structures edged up 0.42%, and even Transportation (other than train and engine), recently a weak performer relative to the other categories, eked out a 0.03% gain.
Indeed, Transportation (other than train and engine) was the only declining category month-over-month, down 0.30% from mid-October. Transportation (train & engine) led the monthy winning pack, up 0.52%. Maintenance of equipment and stores did almost as well, up 0.50%. Executives, officials, and staff assistants rose 0.32%; Professionals and administrative gained 0.25%; and Maintenance of way and structures rose 0.15%.