advertisement

---

The U.S. Class I workforce expanded by nearly every measure last month. As of mid-October, the large roads employed 162,443 people, up 0.7 percent from September's level and 1.4 percent from October 2011's count, according to Surface Transportation Board data.

Five of six rail employment categories registered both month-over-month and year-over-year gains.

Compared with September levels, the number of:
• transportation (train and engine) workers climbed 1.4 percent to 65,121;
• professional and administrative staff members grew 1.6 percent to 13,929;
• executives, officials and staff assistants increased 1 percent to 9,819;
• maintenance of equipment and stores employees rose 0.2 percent to 29,708; and
• maintenance of way and structures workers inched up 0.1 percent to 37,205.

Compared with October 2011 counts, the number of:
• executives, officials and staff assistants climbed 5 percent;
• transportation (T&E) ranks grew 1.7 percent;
• maintenance of way and structures workers rose 1.6 percent;
• maintenance of equipment and stores employees increased 0.5 percent; and
• professional and administrative staff members inched up 0.2 percent.

The transportation (other than T&E) category posted the only declines. The number of workers in the segment, which totaled 6,661 as of mid-October, declined 2.4 percent on a month-over-month basis and 1 percent versus last year.