p ract ically ▁all ▁locomot ives ▁and ▁passenger ▁cars ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States " ▁were ▁using ▁Commonwealth ▁products . ▁The ▁significance ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁the ▁rail ▁industry ▁became ▁evident ▁when ▁two ▁locomot ive ▁manufact ur ers , ▁and ▁customers ▁of ▁Commonwealth , ▁Bald win ▁Lo comot ive ▁Company ▁and ▁American ▁Lo comot ive ▁Company , ▁formed ▁General ▁Ste el ▁Cast ings ▁Corporation ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁and ▁acquired ▁Commonwealth ▁and ▁its ▁products ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁ ▁Clar ence ▁H . ▁Howard , ▁who ▁controlled ▁the ▁Double ▁Body ▁Bol ster ▁Company , ▁received ▁orders ▁for ▁cast - ste el ▁bol sters ▁for ▁rail road ▁passenger ▁cars ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁an ▁exhib it ▁at ▁the ▁up coming ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁St . ▁Louis ▁World ' s ▁Fair ▁but ▁his ▁company ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁produce ▁bol sters ▁of ▁the ▁specified ▁size . ▁ ▁Cast ▁steel ▁bol sters ▁of ▁that ▁size ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁previously ▁manufact ured . ▁ ▁Mr . ▁Howard ▁negoti ated ▁with ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Ste el ▁Company ▁to ▁produce ▁the ▁new ▁steel ▁bol sters ▁and ▁he ▁assist ed ▁during ▁the ▁production ▁process . ▁ ▁Clar ence ▁H . ▁Howard , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁former ▁school m ates , ▁H . ▁M . ▁Pfl ager , ▁and ▁G . ▁K . ▁Hob l itz elle ▁assumed ▁control ▁of ▁Commonwealth ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 . ▁ ▁Mr . ▁Howard ▁would ▁head ▁the ▁company ▁for ▁ 2 3 ▁years ▁and ▁ret