U.S. Class I railway employment drops 9% in January

Major freight railroads in the United States employed 156,602 workers as of the middle of January, down from 160,795 the previous month and 171,476 in January, 2015, according to data from the Surface Transportation Board.    Class I freight railroads in the United States employed 156,602 workers as of the middle of January, an 8.67 percent decline from 171,476 employees during the same 2015 period, according to data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).
   Class I railway employment was also down 2.61 percent from 160,795 in mid-December, 2015.
   Each of the various employment categories reported to the STB posted decreases from the previous month as well as year-over-year.
   Executives, officials and staff assistants were down 0.34 percent from mid-December and 3.76 percent compared to January, 2015; professional and administrative staff fell 0.87 percent and 1.68 percent, respectively; maintenance of way and structures employees dipped 0.22 percent and 2.61 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores workers were down 1.49 percent and 3.29 percent; transportation staff (not including train and engine) fell 2.13 percent and 3.25 percent; while train and engine workers were down 5.25 percent month-over-month and 16.58 percent year-over-year.