[9] This railroad was part of John Diefenbaker's vision for the north,[9] and facilitated shipment of lead-zinc ore from the Pine Point Mine.

A spur line continued east from Hay River along the south shore of Great Slave Lake to the mine at Pine Point.

RailLink Canada was subsequently purchased by RailAmerica, which operated the Mackenzie Northern Railway between Smith and Hay River.

Commodities include agriculture and forest products from northeastern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories, as well as fuel and supplies destined for Arctic communities to be barged across Great Slave Lake and down the Mackenzie River to the Beaufort Sea.

CN came full circle by paying $26 million for the three northern Alberta rail lines it had sold nine years previously.