When the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget) in 1883 decided that the line for the Bergen Railway would go by way of Myrdal and Finse, the county council of Sogn og Fjordane decided that a sidetrack was to be constructed down the Flåmsdalen valley to the Sognefjord. On 10 July 1908, Stortinget decided to build the railway line from Myrdal to Flåm, but this decision was not implemented until 1923. However, the Flåm Railway had its opponents - especially within the county. The debate concerning the Flåm Railway lasted almost until its completion in 1940.