Class 1 Workforce Declined in November

The workforce of U.S. Class I railroads declined 1.58 percent in November compared to the previous month.

U.S. Surface Transportation Board figures showed the railroads employed 114,960 in November. That was a 13.71 percent decline compared with November 2019.

On a year-over- year comparison, all workforce categories fell.

This included maintenance of equipment and stores, down 21.94 percent to 18,242; transportation (train and engine), down 15.01 percent to 46,434 workers; transportation (other than train and engine), down 11.2 percent to 4,829; maintenance of way and structures, down 10.82 percent to 27,863; professional and administrative, down 5.81 percent to 10,276; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 4.10 percent to 7,316.

All categories declined in mid-November compared with mid-October’s count including maintenance of way and structures, down 3.2 percent; maintenance of equipment and stores, down 2.36 percent; transportation (other than T&E), down 1.49 percent; professional and administrative, down 0.8 percent; transportation (T&E), down 0.67 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.16 percent.

In November BNSF employed 35,081. Employment at other Class 1 carriers included Union Pacific Railroad, 32,046; Norfolk Southern Railway, 19,199; CSX, 17,093; CN/Grand Trunk, 6,183; Kansas City Southern, 2,718; and Canadian Pacific/Soo Line, 2,640.

Tags: Class 1 railroad employment, class 1 railroads, U.S. Class 1 Railroads, U.S. Surface Transportation Board