On 18 December 1893 the railway line between Greymouth and Hokitika was opened and two of the West Coast's important centres of population were linked by fast transport. Plans were soon formulated to extend the railway to Ross, which was a centre of gold mining and a developing sawmilling industry. By the end of March 1901 the first surveys of the line had been completed and by August 1902 earthworks had started. Building the combined rail-road bridge over the Hokitika River had also started. The line from Ross to Ruatapu was opened on 9 November 1906 and the extension to Ross opened on 1 April 1909.
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