SO:  My bad I thought you were counting numbers laid off versus freight reductions.  Yes there are other things in play.  The closing of the Flint shills refinery was huge.  The loss of the coal shipments to Seward was also a major factor.  Additionally the gravel market has been considerably reduced due to no major construction projects.  Break bulk (the movement of goods shipped from the lower 48) has increased but no where near enough to offset the losses in petroleum, coal and gravel. Passenger service, while profitable, does not have much of a profit margin.  Better then break even but not much and it will always be that way.  Railroads make their money on high bulk, high volume business and Alaska currently does not have much of that.