Plans for a branch existed from the early 20th century, but the line was not built until the German occupation of Norway in 1940, when the Luftwaffe upgraded Gardermoen.

During the German occupation of Norway during the Second World War, the Luftwaffe commenced major upgrades to Gardermoen Air Station, and saw the strategic value of a railway line to the installation.

[5] Transshipment and other operations resulted in twenty-five people working at Hauerseter Station during the war, compared to seven in 1957.

[2] The large number of conscripts made the air force establish passenger traffic on the line in 1947, using Class 87 diesel multiple units.

[6] There were also some attempts to fly civilian air passengers, but these were also soon abandoned, largely because of the poor condition of the track.

[6] However, the military has retained maintenance of the line so that it at any time is in operational condition, as it had high strategic importance should war break out.

The train tracks for the rail line has afterwards been removed in several places and the railway bridge crossing the E6 was demolished during the construction of a new 4 lane highway in 2008.