TRANSPORTATION

Southern Pacific to Cut 600 Jobs: The railroad will eliminate 400 clerical and 200 management positions throughout its 15-state train system over the next 12 months. Southern Pacific’s two main facilities in Southern California, the intermodal transfer container facility in Long Beach and the West Colton train yard in San Bernardino, are unlikely to be affected significantly because their operations deal directly with trains. In addition, 600 miles of underused track will be closed. The job eliminations and track modifications will cost Southern Pacific $64.6 million, resulting in a second-quarter earnings loss of $24 million. Without the one-time charge, the freight line said, it would have posted a $32.1-million net income, compared to $48 million during the same period of 1994. The changes come as part of a continued downsizing of the railway industry. In 1984, Southern Pacific had 33,500 employees; with the latest cuts, it will have 17,400.