This was made possible not only by the siding, but also by the Vääksy canal being built in 1868-1871, which linked the two waterways together.

As with the rest of the Riihimäki–Lahti section of the railway, transport on the Vesijärvi siding was initiated on 1 November 1869.

[2] The significance of freight transport on the siding grew quickly; in 1885, Vesijärvi was one of the busiest stations on the entire Riihimäki–St.

[3] Industry in Lahti began to concentrate on the north side of the station; for example, the Lahden Höyrysaha sawmill was founded in 1870.

It was expanded for the first time in 1895, making the design symmetric, and then again in 1917 by extending both of the building's outer ends.