Omaha and Republican Valley Railway

Railway branch line in Nebraska, US

The Omaha and Republican Valley Railway was a branch line of the Union Pacific that crossed Nebraska. Traversing several counties, including Buffalo County, the Railway was the impetus for several settlements, and upon its demise, several ghost towns. The Railway ran from Boelus to South Ravenna, to Poole and on to Pleasanton, Nebraska.[1]

## About

[edit]

In 1880, the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway Company was consolidated with the Omaha, Niobrara and Black Hills Railroad Company, and in 1886 was consolidated again with the Blue Valley Railroad.[2]

Trains started traveling along the Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad in 1890, with Pleasanton as the terminus. The Pleasanton townsite was surveyed and platted in 1890, and grew quickly. Situated on the South Loup River, Pleasanton was plagued by floods. The flood of 1947 washed away the railroad tracks, and the line was officially abandoned in 1948.[3]

One ghost town was called Sartoria, which was built with the expectation of being the terminus of the railroad. The tracks never got that far.[1] It was seven miles beyond Pleasanton. Another ghost town along the tracks was Watertown, where the steam locomotives would load up with water. Watertown had a post office, established in 1890, and a schoolhouse, formed in 1886. By the 1930s Watertown began to decline.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Howell, A.S. (1981) "Sartoria, a little ghost town" Archived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Buffalo Tales. Buffalo County Historical Society. Retrieved 8/22/07.
2. ^ Union Pacific Railroad Company. (1886) The Union Pacific Railway and Auxiliary Companies. Statistics Relating to Annual Meetings. p. 89.
3. ^ Howell, A. (1978) "Railroads in Buffalo County" Archived August 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Buffalo Tales. Buffalo County Historical Society. Retrieved 8/22/07.
4. ^ "Miller resident fighting to clean up cemetery", Nebraska State Genealogical Society Journals. Retrieved 8/22/07.

* v
* t
* e

Railroads in Omaha

Depots|

* 34th Street Station
* Amtrak Station
* Burlington Station
* Florence Depot
* Gibson Station
* Ralston Station
* Union Station
* Webster Street Station

Major carriers|

* Union Pacific
* Burlington
* Burlington Northern
* Canadian National
* North Western
* Missouri Pacific
* Norfolk & Western
* Rock Island
* Milwaukee Road
* Illinois Central
* Chicago Great Western
* Soo Line
* Wabash

Minor carriers|

* Brandon Railroad
* Amtrak
* Omaha Traction Company
* Omaha Belt Line
* Omaha Zoo Railroad
* Omaha Road
* Omaha and Republican Valley Railway
* South Omaha Terminal Railway
* Omaha Southern Railway
* Omaha, Lincoln and Beatrice Railway
* Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

Facilities|

* First transcontinental railroad
* Original Union Pacific Headquarters
* Union Pacific Center
* Union Pacific Harriman Dispatch Center
* Union Pacific Shops
* Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District
* Kenefick Park
* Burlington Headquarters Building

Public transportation|

* Omaha and Council Bluffs Street Railway
* Omaha and Southern Interurban Railway
* Omaha Cable Tramway
* Omaha Horse Railway
* Omaha Traction Company

Bridges|

* Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge
* East Omaha Bridge
* O Street Viaduct

Manufacturing|

* McKeen Motor Car Company
* Nebraska Rail Car

Related templates
Transportation
Boulevards

Bridges
Streetcars
Streets
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template