Train Question

For the adventure I'm writing I want to give the name of a (preferably non-existent) American railway company of the late 19th century, to be owned by a Tom Swift style engineer. Basically I want somewhere where there would be long straight stretches of track, running E-W, which could be used for running high speed trains bearing catapults used to launch primitive spacecraft.

I did a quick web search and can't find the one I came up with, which was the Great Arkansas Railway Company. Can someone who knows something about trains check this for me and make sure I'm okay? Or suggest a more suitable area if Arkansas seems silly for some reason?