In 1937, the South Australian Railways extended its broad gauge line north from Redhill to Port Pirie. In the same year, the Commonwealth Railways extended its standard gauge Trans-Australian Railway line from Port Augusta south to Port Pirie.
In 1980, the Federal and State Governments entered an agreement to convert the line from Adelaide to standard gauge, albeit altered to meet the Trans-Australian Railway at Crystal Brook. This allowed Adelaide to become the last state capital to join the standard gauge network. The line opened in 1982.
It allowed Australian National to operate The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Trans-Australian through to Adelaide without passengers having to change trains. In July 1998, the line became part of the Australian Rail Track Corporation network.
Aurizon, Genesee & Wyoming Australia, Great Southern Rail, Pacific National and SCT Logistics operate services via the line.
SCT Logistics' Penfield intermodal terminal is connected to a siding at the Bolivar crossing loop.
Crossing loops
The maximum length of trains on this line is 1.8 kilometres, and almost all crossing loops are of this length. East of Mile End the maximum train length is 1.5 kilometres, though this is starting to be increased to 1.8 kilometres also.