quorn's role as a crossroads was lost in 1937 when a standard gauge railway connection was opened between port pirie and port augusta. however, during world war ii, quorn was a vital service point for trains heading north to alice springs. over one million soldiers passed through on their way to darwin and on to papua new guinea. there were over 50 trains eaxh day during and immediately after world war ii. the trains also carried coal mined at leigh creek to the new playford a power station in port augusta.