GulfRail wrote:The reason that the UP began at Omaha instead of Chicago was because Lincoln and other leaders of the day wanted to have the UP sell land in the underpopulated Nebraska Territory........ (Contrary to popular belief, the name Union Pacific had nothing to do with the civil war, but rather with a suburb of Omaha named Union, Nebraska).
Mr. Gulf, noted above are two points within your well-written material that I must question.
First, I believe that the reason that the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 called for the railroad to start at Council Bluffs (vice Omaha) was that there were several existing roads at the time of enactment from Chicago through Iowa to the Missouri River. Suffice to say, they were "not exactly" enthralled with the idea of additional competition from a publicly funded road and no doubt their lobby in Congress ensured such would not move forth. That there were even during 1960 seven routes with Chi-Oma service meant the 'weaks" would be weeded out - and so went the MILW and CGW, as well as the truncating of the CRI&P into Short Lines providing local service .
Now regarding any relation between Union NE and naming the Union Pacific; first who am I to say that is unfounded, but, in view of that municipality was served by the Missouri Pacific (UP today I should note) and that Mr. Google cannot find any reference to that correlation, I have to question such and continue to hold the 'conventional wisdom' that the UP drew its name from the victors in the armed conflict between the several "united" states within the North American continent.
But if you can cite some sources, I'd be delighted to review and if need be, stand corrected.