A ropeway conveyor was used to convey goods onward to Ōhashi, from where a 16 km 762mm (2'6") gauge mining railway (which operated between 1915 and 1965) provided the service to Kamaishi.

[1] Work started on upgrading and re-gauging the line, and the first section, the 31.2 km from Hanamaki to Kashiwagidaira was regauged to the standard Japanese track gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and re-opened from September 1943.

The entire 90.2 km line was finally completed between Hanamaki and Kamaishi in June 1950, opening to traffic on 10 October of that year.

From 12 April 2014, a newly formed SL Ginga "Joyful Train" (excursion train) began operating on the line at weekends using the restored JNR Class C58 steam locomotive C58 239 together with a train of four modified former KiHa 141 series diesel cars purchased from JR Hokkaido (themselves rebuilt from earlier 50 series passenger coaches and made surplus to requirements following the electrification of the Sasshō Line).

JNR Class C58 2-6-2 steam locomotives were also used on both passenger and freight services running to and from the Yamada Line.