Show ON THE RAILROAD Car Shortage Passes Peak About the only good thing that can be DC said concerning the railroad freight car shortage is that the worst is probably over but the present present present pres pres- ent inadequacy will hang on for a aLong along along Long time Despite investigations programs and promises for several years there are actually about fewer freight cars now than there were at atthe atthe atthe the end of the war Attempts to place the blame for forthe forthe forthe the situation seem to be futile American railroads have had cars on order for some time Car builders have declared that steel was not available A program formulated formu in February of this year called for an output of new cars monthly by June and by Sep Sep- The quota was not met and although although although al al- al- al though the steel Industry says that It has supplied the necessary steel car builders contend that the shortage shortage shortage short short- age still has not been completely cured There was one sign however that might indicate a turning of the tide In September the railroads reported new Dew Installations which was more cars than were retired during that month Small as it was It U was the first net gain in 25 months Col J. J Monroe Johnson director of the office of defense transportation tion Lion said he Is proceeding under a White House directive to obtain arate arate a rate of cars monthly by July 1948 almost double the present out out- put He said he had commitments commitments' from the Iron and Steel institute for fora a 22 per cent increase in steel allotments allotments allotments allot allot- ments for tor new car production The car shortage has slowed down the country's economy At the peak of loadings in October the average daily dally shortage was cars ears Currently Currently Currently Cur Cur- it is about Despite these shortages the railroads rail rail- roads are handling more carloads of revenue freight than they have since August 1930 when the number of ol available cars was greater than now |