National Rail took over cross-border operations progressively from April 1993 over the interstate network between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs and Perth.

In June 1999, National Rail began operating blue metal trains from Dunmore to Cooks River.

[9] In early 2000, National Rail commenced operating a contract for Macquarie Generation to haul coal to their Bayswater and Liddell Power Stations in the Hunter Valley.

[11] Upon commencing operations in April 1993, National Rail inherited a diverse collection of rolling stock.

National Rail decided it would operate diesel locomotives over the electrified New South Wales lines from Sydney to Broadmeadow and Lithgow.