Eventually the VSB succeeded in establishing the right to use an important connection to Zürich over the Wallisellen–Zürich line of the Swiss Northeastern Railway (NOB).

Over time, Rorschach was displaced as the leading port town on the Swiss shore of Lake Constance by Romanshorn.

When the NOB opened the shorter Lake Zürich left bank railway (Zürich–Thalwil–Ziegelbrücke) in 1875, the former Wallisellen–Rapperswil line lost importance.

Under the leadership of Adolf Klose, mechanical engineering achievements and locomotive designs were created at the Rorschach workshop that received attention and recognition.

As part of merger negotiations, the VSB was able to acquire the concession for the realisation of the Bözberg railway line on 16 July 1857.

In contrast to the NOB or the Swiss Central Railway, the VSB were able to distribute modest dividends from 1871 onwards.

[2] The rising price of wood forced the VSB to search for alternatives for firing their steam locomotives and it secured a large peat deposit in Möggingen near Radolfzell in 1857.

Nevertheless, as the railway developed as a means of mass transport, the company gained access to foreign coal deposits.

The first through train from Rorschach via St. Gallen was introduced to serve the Swiss National Exhibition (Schweizerische Landesausstellung) in Zürich in 1883.

the VSB took over the Toggenburgerbahn (TB) at no cost from the Canton of St. Gallen, which indirectly subsidised the construction of the Ricken Tunnel.

[3] The carriage house has been restored and now serves as a depot and locomotive workshop of the Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland, the heritage railway that operates the Bauma–Hinwil line.