U.S. Class I railway employment continues to fall in January

Railway employment levels in the United States have now fallen in 19 of the last 21 months, according to recent data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.    Class I freight railroads in the United States employed 148,427 workers as of the middle of January 2017, a 5.22 percent decline from 156,603 employees during the same 2016 period, according to data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).
   U.S. railway employment was down 1.19 percent from 150,215 workers in mid-December 2016, and has now fallen in 19 of the last 21 months.
   Just two of the various employment categories reported to the STB posted increases from the previous month, and all six of them declined on a year-over-year basis.
   Class I railway executives, officials and staff assistants in January grew 1 percent from the previous month but fell 4.93 percent year-over-year; professional and administrative staff likewise ticked up 0.5 percent month-over-month but dropped 6.27 percent from last year; maintenance of way and structures employees were down 0.67 percent and 4.65 percent, respectively; maintenance of equipment and stores workers slid 0.93 percent month-over-month and 6.4 percent from the previous January; while train and engine workers were down 0.19 percent and 9.2 percent; and transportation staff (not including train and engine) declined 2.42 percent from December and 4.35 percent from the same 2016 period.