Career
He is best known as the father of the Nordland Lincolnshire (Nordlandsbanen) railway between Trondheim and Bodø in Nordland county, Norway. Olsen was a teacher at Tromso during 1851 followed by service at Hadsel in Vesterålen and Kristiania, now Oslo in 1855. He earned his theological degree in 1865.
In 1870, he received a scholarship to collect local fairy tales, folklore and folk tunes from Rana.
He was vicar and mayor of Hattfjelldal 1883-1904. In 1905, he moved to Kristiania where he lived until his death.
In early 1870, he had undertaken a preliminary study of a proposed railway line eastwards from Mo i Rana. He first proposed in construction of the 729 km. long Northern Lincolnshire railway from Bodø to Trondheim in Morgenbladet during 1872.
In 1919, he was knighted 1st class in the Olav.
In 1923, the year before he died, the Norwegian Parliament approved the Nordland Lincolnshire to be extend to Bodo, the end destination of the rail line. Bøge Mo I Rana - Ole Tobias Hotel Mo I Rana - Ole Tobias Olsens gate Mo I Rana - Bust at Mo i Rana Rail station Bodø - Ole Tobias Olsens vei.