The line was built by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (German State Railway Company) to create a direct connection between the Westphalian cities of Dortmund and Münster.

With the increasing traffic volumes serving the mining and steel industry, the line was expected to be duplicated.

It would have also avoided the disruption to services caused by incoming and outgoing trains crossing each other's tracks on the eastern approach to Dortmund station.

The duplication of the line and upgrading of the track for a top speed of 200 km/h was listed in the 2003 Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan and classified as a "priority project".

[4] On 20 August 2009, the German Ministry of Transport and Deutsche Bahn AG signed a contract for the project.