Bridge route

nounStandard termRailroad

A railway segment that connects two other major rail carriers.

A railroad line or company that serves primarily as a connecting link between two larger rail networks. Instead of originating or terminating significant amounts of local freight, a bridge route makes its money by passing overhead traffic from one Class I carrier to another across a strategic geographic gap.

Heard on the job

They don't generate much online traffic, but as a bridge route between the eastern and western roads, they move a lot of tonnage.

Also heard as

  • bridge line