The line runs through two tunnels and across seven bridges made of natural stone through the Hönne valley, which was already praised for its beauty during the period of German romanticism when it was built.

[5][6] At its opening there were stations at Neuenrade, Garbeck, Balve, Sanssouci, Binolen and Lendringsen and halts (German: Haltepunkte) at Küntrop, Volkringhausen, Klusenstein, Oberrödinghausen and Menden-Süd.

In the period after the First World War trains from the Ruhr on Sundays carried up to 1000 people travelling to the valley's numerous restaurants.

Between the two wars the narrow valley discouraged the development of an Emden–Hönne valley–Frankfurt railway as a north-south link protected against enemy (French) action.

[7] The line was disrupted during the war by the destruction of the Ruhr bridge at Fröndenberg as a result of the floodwave caused by the air raid on the Mohne Dam (Operation Chastise) on 17 May 1943.

After the construction of a temporary bridge rail traffic resumed and was also used to supply the labour camp for Schwalbe I (an underground factory built to avoid air raids) at Öberrödinghausen.