U.S. Class I railway employment rebounds slightly in February

After falling in 19 of the previous 21 months, railway employment levels in the United States in February 2017 ticked up 0.28 percent from the previous month, according to recent data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.    Class I freight railroads in the United States employed 148,843 workers as of the middle of February 2017, a 3.48 percent decline from 154,212 employees during the same 2016 period, according to data from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).
   On a sequential basis, however, U.S. railway employment ticked up 0.28 percent from 148,427 workers in mid-January after falling in 19 of the previous 21 months.
   Three 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 4.03 percent year-over-year; professional and administrative staff likewise ticked up 0.08 percent month-over-month but dropped 5.87 percent from last year; maintenance of way and structures employees were down 0.31 percent and 4.91 percent, respectively; maintenance of equipment and stores workers slid 0.33 percent month-over-month and 5.8 percent from the previous February; while train and engine workers were down 0.41 percent and 7.07 percent; and transportation staff (not including train and engine) grew 1.05 percent from January, but slipped 0.41 percent from the same 2016 period.