The origins of the railway line date back to 1907, but its construction began in 1913. In 1917, with World War I in full swing, the entire route was opened without any ceremony. The railway proved its usefulness for linking the towns of Monti Prenestini and Simbruini which at the time were served by a few inadequate roads. The events of World War II put a strain on the efficiency of the railway, which began to face competition from road transport. Political inertia contributed to the slow agony of the line and its demise; in this way, a piece of railway engineering has disappeared forever. After more than twenty years of neglect and by now in a state of decay, a small group of individuals restored the tracks in the area of Colonna station, and today they are home to an extensive collection of historic rolling stock; the passenger building is the heart of the museum with a collection of photographs of life in the station, an exhibition of vintage objects and equipment and the faithful reconstruction of the office of the stationmaster. Today the 500 metres of track are all that is left of the entire line.