FACTORS IN FREIGHT CAR SUPPLY

The Wall Street Journal, the Great Plainsman and other publications tell us that there is a rail car shortage. The dual purpose of this article is to demonstrate that the shortage is one of rail service rather than rolling stock and to examine several of the mechanisms available to increase the quantity of rail service. The demand for rail service is difficult to quantify; however, the Interstate Commerce Commission has provided us with estimates of the degree of car shortage. It has found that the freight car shortage has been concentrated in three car types, boxcars, gondola cars, and hopper cars. The ICC's estimates of the shortage are in terms of car ownership and do not indicate the areas where apparent demand exceeds available supply. In fact, the Central Western and Northwestern districts are shown to have adequate ownership, yet, these are the areas in which demand for rail cars most frequently exceeds available supply.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00813052
• Corporate Authors:

  Southern Agricultural Economics Association

  P.O. Box 1071
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37901
• Authors:
  • Hutchinson, T Q
• Publication Date: 1971-12

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 7 p.
• Serial:
  • Southern Journal of Agricultural Economics
  • Publisher: Southern Agricultural Economics Association
  • ISSN: 0081-3052

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Car distribution (Railroads); Car shortages (Railroads); Car utilization (Railroads); Freight service
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission
• Old TRIS Terms: Car shortage
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050065
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Department of Agriculture
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 24 1974 12:00AM