For the Eastern Railway (Ostbahn) from Stuttgart to Ulm, the experts examined both a route along the Rems and Brenz, as well as along the Fils.

This was part of a treaty contracted on 21 February 1861 between the kingdoms of Bavaria and Württemberg in relation to the continuation of the Rems Railway (Remsbahn) between Stuttgart and Wasseralfingen to the border near Nördlingen and the connection to the Bavarian network.

Construction continued of the line to Ulm only in 1875, after the expiration of the Brenz railway clause and on the basis of a new Wurttemberg–Bavaria treaty of 8 December 1872.

[2] From 2003 to September 2007 platforms and level crossings were modernised and rail tracks and signalling systems were renewed along the entire route for a total cost of around €75 million.

In November 2006, the last semaphore signal on the Brenz railway was taken out of service, the electronic interlocking at Heidenheim controls the line from Oberkochen until Thalfingen (near Ulm).