It opened in 1903, and carried passenger traffic until the 1970s. 900/950 class railmotors were first introduced[dubious – discuss] on the service between Dubbo and Coonamble.[vague] It continues to carry goods traffic, predominantly grain. Operations over the line are managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) under a 60-year agreement.
The northern section of the line featured track that was in generally poor condition with derailments not uncommon. However, a NSW Government project, completed in 2017, restored the line, including the laying new steel sleepers and renewing bridges.