All-
The subject of foreign power being evaluated on the CB&Q is an interesting one.
I recall seeing (and not being smart enough to snatch it up at the time!!) a photo of a NYC Hudson taken on the Aurora Track Elevation “flat slab” that was at one of the “Little Q” swap sessions in the late sixties/early seventies.
Trials of other road engines goes back some time…..around 1883 the Q had a Baldwin compound for two periods and even tried a P&R Wooten on the east end after the Columbian Exposition.
During the very early years (1859) some 4-4-0s were leased to the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada for use on the standard gauge portion in the US operated by the Michigan Central. One of these engines was on one occasion operated by Thomas Edison after they had been sold to the GT. I suspect that there was informal borrowing back and forth of motive power between the roads controlled by the Forbes interests.
There was some cooperation between the CB&Q and GN / NP mechanical departments as evidenced by the design of the “rolltop” and the Ryan & Johnson hinged coal bunker tenders. How much of the design influence crossover was at the railroad or builder level is probably lost to time.
Another interesting sidelight is the amount of contract work done for other railroads and others at the Aurora Shops and other Burlington shops.
Charlie Vlk