Facts, Figures

Travel. Railroad passenger-car builders were authorized by the War Production Board to start construction of 407 coaches for delivery early next year. For the first time since 1942, manufacturers were allowed to use stainless steel in passenger cars. But, like troop cars recently authorized, they will not arrive in time to ease this summer's travel crisis. WPB has consistently failed to allot the railroads as much steel as the Office of Defense Transportation estimated they would need; it looked as if that failure was coming home to roost.

Busses. General Motors Corp. Truck & Coach Division delivered its first big batch of busses since war began. Seventy-five busses went to Manhattan and Chicago operators. G.M. had orders on hand for 5,632 busses, hopes to deliver 3,575 before Jan. 1.

The Price. Office of Price Administration estimated that it will cost U.S. industry $5 billion to reconvert to peacetime production.

Cold Fact. The world shortage of coal was set at 100 million tons. In Europe, where the shortage is most acute, many countries will have to choose next winter between running their factories or heating their homes.

Shopping Tour. A record number of buyers from U.S. retail stores swarmed into Manhattan's apparel markets last week. With them were fabric buyers for the automobile manufacturers. Neither found much to buy.

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