Eager to join the California Gold Rush, you choose the 40-day steamship route through Panama over the grueling overland journey. But Panama's jungles, lethal diseases, and treacherous terrain await. Enter William H. Aspinwall, a visionary shipping magnate, who aims to revolutionize this journey with the Panama Railroad. Discover the harrowing tale of its construction, the immense human cost, and how it transformed travel and trade forever.