[1] Major cities and towns along route include Qiqihar, Fuyu, Keshan and Beian.
In 1909, the Qing Dynasty planned a railway from Jinzhou to Qiqihar to Aihui, which includes a segment that coincides with the Qibei Line.
Wary of Russian and Japanese designs on the region, the Qing government signed a financing agreement with an Anglo-American consortium but the railway was never built.
This effort was hampered by attacks and sabotage by partisan forces led by Ma Zhanshan, Su Bingwen and others.
From October 20 to November 10, 1932, Ma's Northeast Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army laid siege to the Laha station before being driven back by Japanese and collaborationist reinforcements.