Bridge line
Encyclopedia
A bridge line or bridge route is a rail carrier
tasked primarily with moving traffic
from one major carrier to another (hence the "bridge
" moniker). Bridge lines often were located between two major cities, connecting rail carriers that served those cities and interchanging their cars. As railroads have continued to evolve and large Class I railroads have sought to keep cars on line (as well as collect the revenues for the tonnage moved over their own route miles), most bridge lines are now gone.
The most recent example of a "bridge" carrier being swallowed up was the Wisconsin Central. The WC was a bridge line for Canadian National's traffic out of Chicago
to western Canada
. Once CN had integrated its purchase of Illinois Central, there was no route for it to send trains to points in western Canada on its own rails. Rather than reroute the trains through Michigan
and around the Great Lakes
, CN used the WC to forward its trains through Wisconsin
and Minnesota
to Canada. Eventually, CN bought the WC outright and integrated the line into its system, rather than pay the carrier to move its freight.
Can also be used as a term to describe a conference call
line.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
tasked primarily with moving traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
from one major carrier to another (hence the "bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
" moniker). Bridge lines often were located between two major cities, connecting rail carriers that served those cities and interchanging their cars. As railroads have continued to evolve and large Class I railroads have sought to keep cars on line (as well as collect the revenues for the tonnage moved over their own route miles), most bridge lines are now gone.
The most recent example of a "bridge" carrier being swallowed up was the Wisconsin Central. The WC was a bridge line for Canadian National's traffic out of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Once CN had integrated its purchase of Illinois Central, there was no route for it to send trains to points in western Canada on its own rails. Rather than reroute the trains through Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and around the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, CN used the WC to forward its trains through Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
to Canada. Eventually, CN bought the WC outright and integrated the line into its system, rather than pay the carrier to move its freight.
Can also be used as a term to describe a conference call
Conference call
A conference call is a telephone call in which the calling party wishes to have more than one called party listen in to the audio portion of the call. The conference calls may be designed to allow the called party to participate during the call, or the call may be set up so that the called party...
line.