Railroads have a special place in the history of San Diego; The California Southern railway was organized in 1880. From 1880 to 1891 the California Southern ran from National City down through San Bernardino. In 1887 the Central California began running, it ran from Santa Fe to Escondido and in 1888 the Santa Fe began running a line through Ocean Side to Orange County which provided a link between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is still used today to connect both L.A. and San Diego.

The San Diego railway was a short line American railway that was founded by John D. Spreckles. The railway faced so many challenges, especially with logistics that it was given the nick-name the “Impossible Railroad”. Construction on the railway began in December 1906 and was completed in November 1919; the railway faced many delays including natural disaster.

The history of the railway system is something that is alive and well in the San Diego area, San Diego is proud of its contributions to the railway system, and even though it is not used as often as it was in the past; there is no denying that the railway system paved the way for transportation that we use so often today.