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{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}
A '''bridge line''' is a [[Rail transport|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 [[railroad]]s 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.
A '''bridge line''' or '''bridge route''' or '''bridge traffic''' relates to an American [[Rail transport|rail carrier]] tasked primarily with moving [[traffic]] from one major carrier to another (hence the "[[bridge]]" moniker).<ref>{{cite web |title=bridge line |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bridge%20line#:~:text=noun,a%20through%20route%20for%20traffic |website=merriam-webster.com |publisher=[[Merriam-Webster]] |access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Burns |first1=Adam |title=Railroad Glossary: Bridge route {{!}} Bridge Traffic |url=https://www.american-rails.com/glossary.html#:~:text=Bridge%20traffic%3A%20Also%20known%20as,for%20delivery%20to%20a%20third. |website=american-rails.com |publisher=American-Rails.com |access-date=26 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626000620/https://www.american-rails.com/glossary.html |archive-date= 26 June 2023}}</ref> Bridge lines often were located between two major [[cities]], connecting rail carriers that served those cities and interchanging their cars. As [[railroad]]s 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wallace |first1=William H. |title=The Bridge Line a Distinctive Type of Anglo-American Railroad |journal=Economic Geography |date=January 1965 |volume=41 |issue=1 |page=1 - 38 |doi=10.2307/141854 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/141854}}</ref>


The most recent example of a "bridge" carrier being swallowed up was the [[Wisconsin_Central_Ltd.|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.
The most recent example of a "bridge" carrier being swallowed up was the [[Wisconsin Central Ltd.|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.<ref>Wisconsin Central sold ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]'' January 31, 2001.</ref>
== References ==

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Latest revision as of 00:48, 26 June 2023

A bridge line or bridge route or bridge traffic relates to an American rail carrier tasked primarily with moving traffic from one major carrier to another (hence the "bridge" moniker).[1][2] 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.[3]

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.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "bridge line". merriam-webster.com. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. ^ Burns, Adam. "Railroad Glossary: Bridge route | Bridge Traffic". american-rails.com. American-Rails.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  3. ^ Wallace, William H. (January 1965). "The Bridge Line a Distinctive Type of Anglo-American Railroad". Economic Geography. 41 (1): 1 - 38. doi:10.2307/141854.
  4. ^ Wisconsin Central sold Milwaukee Journal Sentinel January 31, 2001.