Hejaz Railway
Under the supervision of chief engineer Mouktar Bey, the railway reached Medina on 1 September 1908, the anniversary of the Sultan's accession. However, many compromises had to be made in order to finish by this date, with some sections of track being laid on temporary embankments across "wadis". In 1913 the Hejaz Railway Station was opened in central Damascus as the starting point of the line.