The Impossible Railroad [VHS]

In the middle of the 19th century, when railroads defined cities, San Diego was just another dusty little town at the end of the desert. No one but John D. Spreckels would succeed in waking sleepy San Diego to the roar of trains and commerce. But what began as a simple rail link east grew into an ordeal that challenged the city's dignity, a region's destiny and one man's determination to succeed where all others had failed.

The Impossible Railroad chronicles the 13-year struggle of the San Diego & Arizona Railroad construction. Using archival footage and interviews with local historians and train enthusiasts, this one-hour documentary evokes the heart-breaking passion that went into linking San Diego to the rest of the nation. Could San Diego's railroad have come too late to attract big business? Or did the obstacles that plagued its construction help to preserve the character and quality of life in our city? Filmed on location along the actual San Diego & Arizona Railroad line, The Impossible Railroad captures San Diego's spectacular backcountry and gives new life to Spreckels' dream by connecting San Diegans with a critical period in the city's development.