Completion of this line to Churchill in 1929 fulfilled the longstanding vision of Prairie farmers for a direct rail link to the sea. Between 1908 and 1917 the Canadian government bridged the Saskatchewan River at The Pas and laid tracks towards Hudson Bay. Resuming work in 1925, engineers had to overcome muskeg and permafrost, especially at river crossings and over long stretches of tundra. The railway provided a dependable outlet for exports of Prairie grain, encouraged mining and hydroelectric development, and gave travellers an unforgettable experience of Manitoba's north.