most of the coffee exported was transported by oxcart to the pacific port of puntarenas. since the main market for the coffee was in europe, it soon became a high priority to develop a transportation route from the central plateau to the atlantic ocean. for this purpose, in the 1870s, the costa rican government asked u.s. businessman minor c. keith to build a railroad to the caribbean port of limón. despite enormous difficulties with construction, disease, and financing, the railroad was completed in 1890.