Kalambaka was the terminal of the Velestino line and served southern and western Thessaly. This section was completed on June 16, 1886, but the track gauge was narrower than standard 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) due to cheaper initial construction costs. The line crossed numerous streams and rivers, so the engineers of the Thessaly Railways had to build 62 metal bridges. The construction company had to deal with the reaction of landowners, who objected to the long delays in the payment of the compensation for the expropriation of their properties. The opposition party also accused the government of favoring this expensive project to enrich contractors and large landowners. Notable among them was the expatriate Theodoros Mavrogordatos, who purchased large tracts of land in Thessaly before winning permission to build the local railway network.