The was a
Short Line American Railroad founded by "sugar heir," developer, and entrepreneur
John D. Spreckels , and dubbed '''"The Impossible Railroad"''' by many engineers of its day due to the immense logistical challenges involved. Established in part to provide San Diego with a direct rail link to the east by connecting with the
Southern Pacific Railroad (which secretly provided the funding for the endeavor) lines in
El Centro ,
California , the 148-
Mile (238-
Kilometer ) route of the SD&A originated in
San Diego ,
California and terminated in the
Imperial County town of
Calexico .
The company charter was executed on
December 14 ,
1906 , and the groundbreaking ceremony was held on the following September. Numerous delays (including government intervention during
World War I ) delayed the completion of the line to
November 15 ,
1919 . Damage to the lines from both natural disasters and sabotage exerted great financial pressure on the company, and in
1932 Spreckels' heirs sold their interests in the railroad to the Southern Pacific, which was theafter named the
San Diego And Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE).
" logos such as this often adorned the ends of observation cars on the SD&A.]]
The company was chartered on
December 14 ,
1906 , and groundbreaking ceremonies held at the intersection of San Diego's Main and 26th Streets on
September 7 ,
1907 . Construction delays, attacks by
Mexican revolutionaries, and government intervention during
World War I all served to push the construction completion to
November 15 ,
1919 when the "golden spike" was finally driven by none other than John Spreckels himself.
The first through SD&A
Passenger Train left Campo on the morning of
December 30 , and made the full run from El Centro to San Diego's downtown
Union Station for the official opening of the line on
December 1 , 1919. The total construction cost of the 146.4 miles of track laid was approximately $18 million, or some $123,000 per mile; the original estimate was $6 million. The 11-mile long segment through
Carrizo Gorge (which included 13,385 feet of tunnels, 17 in all) alone cost over $4 million to construct; the three miles of tunnels (21 total) along the entire line ran another $1.8 million. Almost 2.5 miles of bridges and trestles were built as well.
The tracks departed downtown San Diego south where they crossed the
U.S.-Mexico Border at
San Ysidro . From there the line traversed eastward through
Tijuana , then headed northeast through
Tecate and back over the border to the town of
Campo . To construct and maintain the 44-mile (72 kilometer) stretch through
Mexico the ''SD&A'' formed the , at the behest of the Mexican government. East of Campo the road traveled through Clover Flats, across the Coast Range (elevation 3,660 feet), then descended through the breathtaking but treacherous
Carrizo Gorge , the builders' most significant obstacle. Though the SD&A line ended in
Seeley , trackage rights gave the railroad the ability to run trains as far east as El Centro and as far south as
Calexico . Branch lines ran from downtown to as far north and east as the community of
Lakeside , with a separate line which circumvented San Diego Bay to service
Coronado Heights ,
Coronado , and North Island.
Damage to the lines from heavy rainstorms, landslides, and fires took a financial toll on the railroad, as did border closings with Mexico. Clashes with the
IWW resulted in acts of vandalism as well. In
1932 , financial difficulties forced Spreckels' heirs to sell their interests in the firm for $2.8 million to the Southern Pacific, which renamed the railroad the
San Diego And Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE).
- and the East during the " Panic Of 1873 ."
- but folds prior to commencing track laying.
- announces he will form the San Diego and Arizona Railway Company (SD&A) and build a 148-mile line between San Diego and El Centro . Spreckels has an agreement with the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) to silently fund the project (ironically, Spreckels later became an outspoken critic of the Southern Pacific Railroad and their monopolistic practices, and often used his newspaper interests as a platform to denounce the company and its officers).
- September 7 , 1907 : Groundbreaking ceremonies for the SD&A are held in downtown San Diego at the foot of 26th Street (now known as Dewey Street) and Main Street. The line will follow in part the route surveyed by the defunct SD&E.
- Government orders the SD&A to form the , which will construct and hold a 99-year lease on the 44-mile Mexican rail segment.
- July 29 , 1910 : The first passenger train on the SD&A enters Mexico.
- 1911 : Mexican revolutionaries mount several attacks on the SD&A construction crews to conscript soldiers and supplies, and cut telephone wires.
- increases the cost of railway construction materials by 50 to 150 percent.
- (SDERy) continues to operate the interurban line to Chula Vista under lease. The remaining SDSR tracks not damaged in the previous year's flooding function as a "bridge" line between the SD&A and SDERy, which allows for the interchange of freight traffic.
- November 15 , 1919 : The "golden spike" is driven and construction of the SD&A is completed at a cost of $18 million (three times the original estimate).
- "arrives" in San Diego from El Centro for the official line opening ceremony.
- service to Chicago is initiated; the cars are switched to the Southern Pacific's '' Golden State '' passenger train in Yuma .
- and lettered is adopted.
- 1926 , 1927 , and 1929 : Heavy rains take out large sections of trackage east of San Diego.
- and Lakeside is discontinued.
- , which leads to a collapse. Repairs take 45 days.
- th and 7 th.
- October 22 , 1932: Tunnel 7 burns and is subsequently abandoned.
- for $2.8 million.
- January 23 , 1933 : A bypass track along the cliff at Tunnel 7 is completed and the line is reopened to traffic.
- (SD&AE) is incorporated and assumes all operations of the SD&A.
