This line was also used to transport new railway construction materials imported from Japan, and ballast stone from a quarry near Shirin.

A spur track known as the Asia Branch Line [zh] located before Tamsui Station provided access to the British Merchant Warehouse operated (until 1945) by Rising Sun Petroleum, and after that by Royal Dutch Shell, which was closed in 1971 and the surviving track was heritage-listed along with the British Merchant Warehouse in 2000.

In addition, Tatung Company had a freight siding located between Shuanglian and Yuanshan Stations, which was originally built during World War II, finally opened on 7 October 1946 and closed on 1 March 1980.

The entire line was token-worked; tokens (staff) must be exchanged at most stations for onwards movement authority.

In the 1960s through the 1970s, S200, S300, and S400 class diesel electric locomotives commonly hauled short commuter trains on the Tamsui Line.