Class 1 Employment Down 0.02% in May

Class I railroads employed 115,508 workers in mid-May, a 0.02 percent increase from April’s level but down 2.84 percent year over year.

U.S. Surface Transportation Board statistics show that four of six employment categories posted gains between mid-April and mid-May.

Maintenance of way and structures was up 0.55 percent to 28,690 workers; transportation (train and engine), was up 0.2 percent to 47,044; executives, officials and staff assistants, was up 0.17 percent to 7,278; and transportation (other than train and engine), was up 0.13 percent to 4,721.

Showing declines were maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.91 percent to 17,733 workers; and professional and administrative, down 0.83 percent to 10,042.

On a year-over-year comparison, only transportation (train and engine) posted an increase. That category rose 7.75 percent.

Showing declines were maintenance of equipment and stores, down 16.7 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 9.32 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 5.95 percent; professional and administrative, down 5.21 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants down 4.56 percent.

Class 1 Rail Employment Up in March

U.S. Class 1 railroads employed 115,003 people in mid-March, a gain of 0.82 percent from mid-February but down 10.06 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said four of six employment categories saw increases in March compared with February’s level.

They were maintenance of way and structures, up 1.46 percent to 28,356 workers; transportation (train and engine), up 1.33 percent to 46,404; transportation (other than train and engine), up 0.36 percent to 4,767; and executives, officials and staff assistance, up 0.14 percent to 7,276.

Posting losses were maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.52 percent to 18,021 workers, and professional and administration, down 0.16 percent to 10,179.

On a year-over-year comparison, all categories had declines.

These included maintenance of equipment and stores, down 18.32 percent; transportation (train and engine), down 10.42 percent; transportation (train and engine), down 10.16 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 6.67 percent; professional and administrative, down 5.28 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 3.86 percent.

Class 1 Rail Employment Up Slightly in February

Employment at Class 1 railroads in the United Stated ticked upward slightly in mid February.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said the carriers employed 114,068, an increase of 0.53 percent over mid January.

However, the February 2021 figure was down 10.63 percent compared with the same month in 2020.

Four of six employment categories saw gains in February compared with January’s level.

They were maintenance of way and structures, up 1.19 percent to 27,948 workers; transportation (train and engine), up 0.6 percent to 45,794; transportation (other than train and engine), up 0.53 percent to 4,750; and maintenance of equipment and stores, up 0.17 percent to 18,115.

Categories that lost workers on a month-over-month  comparison included executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.37 percent to 7,266 employees, and professional and administrative, down 0.23 percent to 10,195.

On a year-over year comparison, all categories posted declines.

They were maintenance of equipment and stores, down 18.29 percent; transportation (train and engine), down 10.99 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 10.65 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 7.77 percent; professional and administrative, down 5.75 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 4.09 percent.

Class 1 Employment Up 2.44% in December

Employment at U.S. Class 1 railroads rose 2.44 percent last month when compared with November.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said the railroads employed 117,770 people in mid-December. Although that was an increase over the previous month it was a 10.43 percent decline compared with the same period in 2019.

Posting gains in December over November were transportation (train and engine), which rose 5.67 percent to 49,069 workers; and maintenance of equipment and stores, which rose 2.09 percent to 18,623 workers.

Declines were posted by professionals and administrative, down 0.52 percent to 10,223 employees; maintenance of way and structures, down 0.51 percent to 27,720; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.12 percent to 4,823; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.05 percent to 7,312.

On a year-over-year comparison, all categories had declines.

Maintenance of equipment and stores was down 18.12 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), was down 10.6 percent; maintenance of way and structures, was down 9.94 percent; transportation (train and engine), was down 9.35 percent; professional and administrative, was down 5.44 percent; and executives, officials and staff, was down 4.07 percent.

NS Has Furloughed Dozens in Bellevue

The closing of hump yard operations by Norfolk Southern at its Moorman Yard in Bellevue has also resulted in layoffs for dozens of workers in recent months.

Dave Sabo, Bellevue’s economic development director, said he’s been told NS furloughed 22 electricians, 27 machinists and 22 laborers, leaving 10 machinists employed at the yard.

“If that was the case, we feel for those who lost their job or have been laid off indefinitely,” Sabo said.

The Sandusky Register reported that NS would not confirm how many workers in Bellevue had been laid off, but did say there have been staffing changes made there.

Hump operations in Bellevue were suspended in June as a result of the railroad’s shift to the precision scheduled railroading operating model.

PSR favors block swapping over the use of classification yards. Moorman Yard continues to be open as a flat switching facility.

NS at one time employed 700 workers in Bellevue.

NS spokesman Jeff DeGraff told the Register that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated plans to close the hump because of the lower car volumes.

CSX Worker Killed in Fostoria Yard

A CSX conducted was killed Sunday morning after a tree fell on his train during a shove move.

Details about the accident are sketchy, but an online report said it occurred at 7:38 a.m.

CSX confirmed in an email statement to The Blade of Toledo that the employee had been killed but did not elaborate on how it happened or name the worker.

The statement did say the death remained under investigation.

The Blade also said that local law enforcement agencies declined to provide information about the accident.

The online report indicated that the tree fell on the conductor, who was riding the rear car during the shove move in the yard. The tree reportedly impaled the worker.

CN CEO Hopeful of Avoding Layoffs

Canadian National CEO Jean-Jacques Ruest said he expects his company to avoid employee layoffs unless a surge in cases in the COVID-19 pandemic leads to another drop in freight traffic.

He spoke during an event to mark the 25^th anniversary of CN becoming a private company.

“If the economy slows down we might have to have layoffs,” Ruest said.

CN furloughed a significant number of workers during the second quarter when the first wave of the pandemic led to a dramatic plunge in freight volume.

Many of those workers have since been recalled and Ruest said CN probably has more employees than it currently needs to cover for those who become infected with or forced to quarantine because of the virus.

Rail Employment Up Slightly in February

Employment at Class 1 railroads in mid March was 127,867, which was up 0.18 percent since mid February, but down 11.78 percent compared with March 2019′.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said four of six employment categories posted month-to-month decreases.

These included professional and administrative, down 0.66 percent to 10,746 employees; transportation maintenance of equipment and stores, down 0.49 percent to 22,062; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.19 percent to 5,306; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.11 percent to 7,568.

Rising were transportation (train and engine), up 0.68 percent to 51,801 employees; and maintenance of way and structures, up 0.26 percent to 30,384.

On a year over year basis, all categories saw declines. These included maintenance of equipment and stores, down 16.68 percent; transportation (train and engine), down 16.01 percent; professional and administrative, down 5.93 percent; maintenance of way and structures, down 4.64 percent; transportation (other than train and engine), down 4.98 percent; and executives, officials and staff assistants, down 4.54 percent.

Unemployed Rail Workers to Get Benefits

Unemployed railroad workers will have access to unemployment and sickness benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic the Association of American Railroad announced.

AAR said that relief was included in the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act approved last week.

Railroad workers do not receive unemployment benefits through state-administered programs, but through the Railroad Retirement Board’s Railroad Unemployment Insurance Program.

The CARES law waives the seven-day waiting period for filing a sickness or unemployment claim with the RRB and provides $50 million to cover the costs of providing these additional benefits.

It also increases unemployment benefits through an additional $1,200 biweekly benefit, provides $425 million to cover the costs of providing these additional benefits through July 31, and allows RRB to access about $130 million of remaining American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to provide extended benefits through Dec. 3.

The law also appropriated $5 million to RRB for additional administrative costs.

Class 1 Employment Dipped Slightly in February

Class 1 railroad employment dipped by 0.53 percent in mid February when compared with mid January.

However, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board said that employment in February 2020 at Class 1 carriers was down 12.46 compared with February 2019.

Five of the six workforce categories posted month-to-month decreases including  professional and administrative, down 0.29 percent to 10,817; executives, officials and staff assistants, down 0.42 percent to 7,576 employees; transportation (train and engine), down 0.50 percent to 51,451; transportation (other than train and engine), down 0.56 percent to 5,316; and maintenance of equipment and stores, down 2.11 percent to 22,170.

Maintenance of way and structures was the only category to post a month-to-month increase in employment, which was 0.50 percent to 30,304 employees.

On a year-over-year basis, all categories posted decreases.

The figures are maintenance of way and structures, down 4.04 percent; transportation (other than T&E), down 4.54 percent; executives, officials and staff assistants, down 6.78 percent; professional and administrative, down 7.52 percent; transportation (T&E), down 16.81 percent; and maintenance of equipment and stores, down 17.83 percent.