At the end of the 19th century,during the German colonial rule,railway engineer Robert Adamson is sent to the Kilimanjaro Region to find out why the railroad construction works have stalled.On the ship taking him to Africa he meets a young East African boy,Pasha, returning home to Africa from his school in the UK.Adamson also meets a young woman,Jane Carlton,traveling to East Africa to find her missing father who was one of the railroad engineers. Adamson strikes a strong friendship with both.He promises to the young native boy a ride on the train once the railroad is completed and also promises to the young lady to help her find her missing father.Once he arrives in Africa, Adamson finds out that a competing German railroad company will cause him trouble and prevent him from finishing his railroad.He also finds out that his planned route for the new railroad is passing through some very unfriendly and dangerous native tribal areas.