Influence of Railroads and Elevation

Influence of Railroads and Elevation. . , Union Pacific Railroad in Iowa , Iowa crews began laying the first rails in 1854. A year later, the first locomotive was shipped across the Mississippi River by ferry. As with the Pacific line, the U.S. government was instrumental in funding railroad construction in Iowa. The Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad, which later became the Chicago and North Western Railway Co., was the first company to span the state. , The completion of the C&NW into Council Bluffs, Iowa, made it possible for Union Pacific to receive supplies by rail. This was a major advantage over the earlier route by steamboat or wagon from St. Joseph, Mo., to Council Bluffs. The infusion of supplies supported the major advances in construction from 1867 to 1869. , Railroad Named Stops for Changes in Elevation , During the early days of steam locomotives, water stops were necessary every 7-10 miles and consumed much travel time. In Carroll and Crawford Counties in western Iowa, as the elevation changes, the railroad named one stop as East Side; the high point as Tip-Top; and the other side as West Side. Over time, Tip-Top became the town of Arcadia and West Side became Westside. East Side failed to prosper and faded from view as steam engines became more efficient and could travel further without stopping. , Missouri and Mississippi Divide in Iowa , Because of a change in elevation, western Iowa has its own Continental Divide with rivers to the east traveling to the Mississippi River and the rivers to the west traveling to the Missouri River. The Missouri River eventually flows into the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri.