The line began as the St. Paul and Sioux City division of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (Omaha Road), which became part of the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1882.
The line began as the St. Paul and Sioux City railroad and was constructed between 1871 and 1872. It then became a division of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway (Omaha Road), which in turn became part of the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1882.