Railroads and the Gadsden Purchase

As it was, a primary cause of the Gadsden Purchase was to acquire some less mountainous terrain upon which to lay a railroad through the newly-American lands.

However, let's say that one of those Cession-Swap scenarios happens. The US manages to take Baja, and the US loses everything south of the Gila River. Sort of like OTL - only with the Baja California Peninsula. A bit more than OTL, but it's not unreasonably unrealistic.

Would Polk, Gadsden and Co. still go for the lower parts of our timeline's Arizona? Remember, cities like Phoenix had not popped up yet. Tucson existed, but as a small, primarily Mestizo settlement.

So - would the US still make attempts to buy southern Arizona? Would Mexico cede and/or sell it at all in this scenario? Does the US find the railroad important enough to get even more land - and pester Mexico once again?
 
If I understand right, you are asking if the US got the Baja California penninsula as part of the Mexican War Cession, would the US still try to buy the Gadsden Purchase.

The answer is a very strong "yes." Having Baja California does not negate any of the reasons why the Gadsden Purchase was pursued.

Whether or not Mexico sells the Gadsden Purchase depends on how bad Santa Anna needs the money. Presumably he still does.

Afterwards, US attempts to annex more Mexican land likely does not happen for the same reason it ended IOTL: the US is going to be too busy dealing with slavery issues and the Civil War.
 
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