Located in the upper Mid North of South Australia, it opened from Peterborough to Orroroo on 23 November 1881, being extended to Quorn on 22 May 1882.

This ceased in 1937 when the Trans-Australian Railway was altered to operate via Port Pirie.

[4] At the time it was built, Quorn was on the Central Australia Railway from Port Augusta to Alice Springs, and Peterborough was on the Port Pirie–Broken Hill railway line from Port Pirie to Broken Hill.

[3][5][6] After closure, part of the line was used by the Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society.

[4] The stations south to north on the line were Peterborough, Black Rock, Orroroo, Walloway, Eurelia, Carrieton, Moockra, Hammond, Bruce and Quorn.