A joint information pack has been developed by NSW Farmers and Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to address concerns raised by farmers about the proposed Inland Rail crossing privately owned land.

However, according to some local landholders, there are still critical issues that have not been effectively addressed.

David McBurnie, a farmer from near Gilgandra said he was part of an active group - the Central West Realignment Group - which was were very unhappy with what has been proposed, to the point they have now employed a lawyer.

"The proposed route passes through farmland and cuts up paddocks and cropping land which causes all sorts of issues," he said. "At one point it runs only 200 metres from a house. In my case, I will have to cross the rail to get to my property."

When completed, the Inland Rail project will connect Melbourne to Brisbane with a heavy freight line. But the project was met with opposition after many landholders along the route had raised concerns about the way ARTC and some of its contractors were operating.

It is being constructed largely on existing tracks but from Narromine to Narrabri (N2N) there is 300 kilometres of new "greenfield" rail that needs to be laid.

Mr McBurnie questioned the need for greenfield tracks when there was an existing rail track that could be upgraded for use between Gilgandra and Coonamble, among other places.

"The planned new track runs parallel with the existing one. Apparently it isn't being used because the new one means a gain of ten minutes of time which is ridiculous."

Mr McBurnie said that a couple of weeks ago the Department of Planning gave approval for the N2N section, but the Federal Government hasn’t given the go ahead yet and so no new rail has been laid.

"As farmers we were told we will need to have $250 million public liability insurance which is not even obtainable," he said.

Barbara Deans, a farmer near Coonamble totally agrees.

"The public liability issue hasn’t been addressed. It could cost farmers $30,000 a year and we can't get any information about it," she said.

Ms Deans said the $250 million insurance figure was from four years ago so has probably increased.

"I've contacted the ACCC numerous times to get information but have just been fobbed off."

Inland Rail route from Narromine to Narrabri (N2N). SOURCE: ARTC

A Senate inquiry found a range of major issues in relation to the Inland Rail project, including the business case for the development, failings in community engagement and consultation, route selection issues and flooding and hydrology concerns.

NSW Farmers Inland Rail Taskforce chair Peter Wilson said there had been a series of open and productive mediator-facilitated discussions

"We have had some frank and robust conversations with ARTC executives about the expectations of farmers and other landholders, and we’re pleased with the result,” Mr Wilson said.

“Our goal was to improve engagement between the ARTC and landholders to be more transparent, fair and honest.

“We’re hopeful this will provide a better way forward for Inland Rail for all parties involved.”

Mr McBurnie said he hasn’t noticed any improvement with consultation and is also disappointed in the lack of support from his local council.

"We are not left with a lot of options around the Inland Rail construction and have no idea if there will be compensation offered," he said.

"It isn't about compulsory acquisition - yet. We have no guarantee about what will happen and it's not good enough."