Poughkeepsie Bridge Route

The Poughkeepsie Bridge Route (also called the Federal Express Route or Federal Express) was a passenger train route from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts, via Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It specifically avoided New York, New York, due to the lack of a direct crossing in that area, instead passing over the Poughkeepsie Bridge at Poughkeepsie, New York. Another selling point was its Boston terminus at North Station, allowing a direct transfer to Boston and Maine Railroad lines to the north. It was mainly intended to compete with the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York, New Haven and Western Railroad.

The route used the following companies' lines:

• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad – Washington to Philadelphia
• Philadelphia and Reading Railroad – Philadelphia to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Central Railroad of New Jersey – Bethlehem to Easton, Pennsylvania
• Lehigh and Hudson River Railway – Easton to Maybrook, New York
• Central New England Railway – Maybrook to Simsbury, Connecticut
• Boston and Maine Railroad – Simsbury to Boston (North Station) (via the former Central Masachusetts Railroad)

By the time the Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad and New York Connecting Railroad opened a direct route through New York City in 1916, the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route was no longer attractive for passenger travel. It continued to be used for freight until a fire put the bridge out of service in 1974.