ARTC continues to expand the network through major infrastructure projects including Inland Rail, which is a new 1,700 km freight line between Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, NSW and Queensland that will complete Australia’s national freight network and better connect producers to markets.

[1] ARTC was incorporated in February 1998, with operations starting in July 1998 when the lines managed by Australian National's Track Australia were transferred to it.

[6] In September 2004, the New South Wales Government-owned RailCorp leased its interstate and Hunter Valley lines to the ARTC for 60 years.

[23][24] In August 2012, RailCorp leased its Metropolitan Goods line from Port Botany to Sefton to the ARTC for 50 years.

These were previously run by five separate state railways in an uncoordinated fashion that gave an advantage to road transport.

This will replace older signalling and safe-working systems particularly in remote areas, such as deserts, where communications and power infrastructure is poor.