The railroad was completed in 1890, but the flow of passengers and cargo proved insufficient to finance Keith's debt. As early as 1873, however, Keith had begun experimenting with the planting of bananas, grown from roots he had obtained from the French.
The railway was completed in 1890, but it failed to generate enough revenue to pay off Keith's debts.  Keith had begun experimenting with growing bananas as early as 1873, utilizing French-sourced banana root cuttings.