The purpose of the railway was to haul coal from mines around Mabou and Inverness to a pier in Port Hastings.

It connected with existing stations of the Intercolonial Railway at Port Hawkesbury.

The railway was never formally integrated into Mackenzie and Mann's Canadian Northern, however.

Peak operation was in 1908 with 322,000 short tons (292,000 t) of freight, mostly coal, but also lumber.

By 1975 service was once a week, hauling coal from St. Rose in the north of the island.