GN had interest in the NP, the Q, and the SP&S. Was there any consideration of a common set of locomotives, like the AMC in the East.
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James J. Hill tried to unify the CBQ/GN/NP/SPS in the early part of the 20th century, but was probably stopped by the old trust buster Teddy Roosevelt. If that unification would have occurred, it would have left very little transportation competition in the upper western quarter of the United States (UP was there, but minimally, and Milwaukee's Pacific Extension had not even been started). Given that, there was a bit of cross-pollination of locomotives: NP/GN shared a couple of 4-6-6-4's which were leased to the SP&S; GN and NP provided some 2-8-2's to the SPS; SPS 4-8-4's were NP design. Burlington had a couple of 2-6-6-2's ordered by the GN diverted to CBQ usage. Otherwise, each company operated pretty independently as regards motive power design.
Actually, the Hill Lines AND UP had some sort of plan to jointly control railroading in the Pacific NW early in the last century. NW Securities comes to mind. Clarifications welcome.
I think the SCOTUS put its two cents in in some of its rulings.
Search Google for “Northern Securities Case” , to get the correct story about the attempted GN, NP and CB&Q merger in 1903. This pre-dates the existence of SP&S.
Mark S., your statement about the 4-6-6-4’s is incorrect. The SP&S 4-6-6-4 Z6 design was same as NP’s, except oil fired. The GN was required to lease two Z6 locos from SP&S as part of a power equalization agreement regarding the Oregon Trunk, where the traffic was predominantly GN’s Inside Gateway to/from California. SP&S 903 and 904 became GN 4000 and 4001, respectively, and were later returned to SP&S. GN had no other 4-6-6-4’s; Class N3 2-8-8-0’s, M3 2-6-8-0’s and double headed Mikes were frequently used for freight drags on the OT.
By the way, I learned from the SP&S old heads that the 4-6-6-4’s were NOT called Challengers by the SP&S employees. They were simply referred to as the Z class. FYI
GN: I did not say the 4-6-6-4's were of a different design then NP's. They were obviously NP Z6's and Z8's, except outfitted to burn oil. And , interesting, the SP&S was not in existence at the time of the Northern Securities activity. There is a marvelous photo out there somewhere on the internet ether of James J Hill and a group of JP Morgan investment bankers striding arm-in-arm at that time.
Although NP and GN were part of Hill's rail empire, they were two very different railroads who had a pretty intense rivalry and did things their own way. NP - radial firebox, GN - belpaire. Even got into things like religion - at a time of anti-Catholic discrimination, Hill and his family were Catholics and hired Catholics, notably high-ranking jobs usually held by Protestants in other railroads / fields. IIRC at one time c.1940 only one GN division superintendent was a Protestant.
According to photographer David Plowden, the Great Northern only hired Yale graduates for their management training program. Plowden was in the program in 1955-56 and was a Yale grad.
