As has been pointed out, many basic industries were vertically integrated but
post-WWII there has been a move to focus on core businesses and outsource
non-core work. Beyond the CB&Q & other RR's being largely self-reliant, take
the steel, farm implement & auto industries as examples. Ford owned iron ore
deposits, Great Lakes ore boats, smelters, etc and even used the by-products
from wood use (back when cars had some wood content - think wheel spokes, etc)
to let Henry's brother-in-law start Kingsford Charcoal (read the story on the
bag!) International Harvester had a steel mill in Chicago & like Ford, U.S.
Steel, Bethlehem and others, its own railroad. Company hospitals (pre-Work
Comp) were not uncommon among larger companies but RR's were bigger than most.
Bear in mind in 1900 one in six Americans worked for a railroad or a railroad
supplier.
For the non business majors, more major companies now are horizontally
integrated (i.e. have a big share of one level of an industry whether it be raw
materials, assembly or distribution) rather than vertical when they handled the
goods or service from mine & field to your business or table. The Burlington
did try to become somewhat horizontally integrated when it began its bus &
truck subsidiaries and even attempted FAA approval for an airline (read
Overton) in the 20's & 30's.
The CB&Q labs in Aurora were perhaps one of the big success stories right up
there with developing a Vista-Dome but its obvious which development has more
P.R.! The lab was even highlighted in some magazine ads and in an Annual
Report. Beyond the normal loco fuel, lubricant & water testing (still done to
some extent by RR's) they got into special coatings for interior & exterior of
covered hoppers, etc. The nearby foundry also got them to look into
metallurgy. CB&Q was among the few (PRR being another) to develop its own
distinct rail profile (in conjunction with Colorado Fuel & Iron). Extensive
work was done with creosoting (Aurora) and experimenting with ties (see post a
couple yrs ago re: CB&Q testing triangular shaped ties!). It's fair to say
though that among RR's, the Q was a leader in innovation for a long time. This
is evidenced by its reputation as the 'Road of presidents' - i.e. the number of
its mgt team that wnet on to become CEO's of other RR's (also touted in some
CB&Q advertisements).
The Burlington has a lot to offer the fan, researcher or collector beyond the
obvious. (which is why we're Q fans, right?) :-)
Gerald
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