The CME opened its branch line from Oberhausen Station via Meiderich to Ruhrort on 14 October 1848.

After the Duisburg-Hochfeld rail bridge was opened over the Rhine on the Osterath–Dortmund Süd line, the old Ruhrort–Homberg train ferry became completely run down and the line lost its national significance; instead, it was used for the transport of goods to the steel industry and the port of Duisburg-Ruhrort.

The Duisburg-Wedau–Bottrop Süd line of the former Rhenish Railway Company (Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, RHE) connected the two freight yards.

The Regionalbahn service RB 36 (Ruhrort-Bahn) was, until recently, operated by the Prignitzer Eisenbahn (PEG), owned by Arriva.

[2] The Ruhrort line is part of the network of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (Rhine-Ruhr Public Transport Association).