It was initially built as a standard gauge replacement for the Central Australia Railway.

[citation needed] There is a triangular junction at Tarcoola which joins Crystal Brook, Darwin and Perth.

Another triangular junction at Crystal Brook joins Tarcoola, Adelaide and Sydney.

[citation needed] The station has two triangles, a smaller one for turning locomotives, and the larger one to the west of the town gives direct access from the Darwin line to the Trans-Australian Railway to Kalgoorlie.

[3] The Ghan and the Indian Pacific passenger services pass through Tarcoola both running once per week in each direction all year round.