The original Northern Pacific Railroad line descended into Valley City, crossed the Sheyenne River, and continued out of the valley, but its steep grades required pusher engines to help heavy trains climb onto the plains above. To avoid those grades, a new High Line track was built one mile upstream from the old Low Line, branching off at Peak, skirting the hills around Valley City, crossing the Sheyenne River on the High Line Bridge, and rejoining the old line at Berea. Construction on the bridge began in 1906, and it was ready for trains on May 8, 1908. The bridge became vital in moving supplies and men during both World Wars and was guarded by State and National Guard troops against sabotage. At 3,860 feet long and 162 feet above the bed of the Sheyenne River, it is one of the longest and highest single track railroad bridges in the nation.