Darwin-Adelaide Railway POD

The Darwin-Adelaide railway just opened here in Aust this past weekend, and many commentators stated the historical nature of this event rests significantly on that it's been proposed for the last 100 yrs or so by the Cth and S. Aust govts during the days when the NT (Northern Territory) was still under outside control. The railway connects the Alice Springs-Adelaide railway- the GHAN- to the Top End of Aust. WI this railway had actually been constructed back around 1904 ? How much of a difference would this have made to the development of northern Aust and the country as a whole ? What about the impact on strategic issues such as the presence of railway infrastructure to facilitate a speedier movement of men and materiel north during WWII ?
 
I Assume the Locomotive on this new RR are Moderrn Diesel-Electrics. ?Would there have been - a Infrastructure - able to fuel and Water the Steam Locos at the turn of the Century? Would this have them been a one track to nowhere or was there a "will" to expand this across the outback.
IIRC After the Transcontinital RR opened in 1876. lots of North-South spurs were rapidly added to it.
 
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