During the 1960s the passenger trains were up to fourteen cars long, and would have to be hauled by two locomotives. Freight traffic increased beyond expectations with the opening of the Bodø extension. A direct freight train service from Oslo to Bodø was introduced in 1977, cutting travel time to 21 hours. It was mostly used for containers, which could then be transshipped to a north-bound ship service. Transport time to Tromsø was thus cut by 24 hours. Fauske received a container terminal two years later.