The railroad began operations in 1986[2] on former Burlington Northern, ex Great Northern Railway track between Moorhead and Avon, Minnesota, interchanging with Burlington Northern. The railroad abandoned the 96 miles (154 km) of track between Avon and Fergus Falls in February 1991.[3]
In 2008, the railroad handled approximately 10,000 carloads, principally outbound grain and inbound coal.[2]
Otter Tail Valley Railroad is owned by Genesee & Wyoming, having been acquired in 2012. As of 2023, OTVR can hold up to 286,000 pounds of supplies. [4]