Rail employment maintains steady gains

Employment numbers released Thursday by the Surface Transportation Board show Class I railroads continued to add personnel in June, measured both against year-ago levels and that of the previous month. Total employment in mid-June of 159,350 was up 5.16% from levels of a year ago, and up 1.15% from May.

Transportation (train and engine) employment rose to 64,111 in mid-June, up a healthy 7.49% from a year ago and up 1.64% from May 2011.

Maintenance of way and structures employees rose to 36,279 in June, up 3.79% over June 2010 and up 0.70% from May 2011. Maintenance of equipment and stores employment rose an almost identical 3.80% in June compared with one year ago, to 29, 126, and was also up 0.56% from May.

Transportation (other than train and engine) was the only category notching a negative number of any kind, down 0.13% to 6,669 employees from mid-May figures, but still up 2.36% compared with a year ago.

The number of executives, officials, and staff assistants was 9,331 in June, up 3.95% from a year ago and up 1.08% from May. Professional and administrative employment, at 13,824 in June, was up 3.30% compared to a year ago, and up 2.05% from May 2011.