A small branch extends east from Albany-Rensselaer station down the Post-Road subdivision, where Amtrak's ownership terminates just south of the Interstate 90 Berkshire Spur overpass.

The Livingston Avenue Bridge is most frequently used for east-west travel in New York, as well as freight trains of CSX and CP Rail.

They are responsible for directing rail traffic around Amtrak's Rensselaer Terminal and nearby trackage as well as opening and closing the bridge.

In the winter of 1866, once travel patterns were set, Cornelius Vanderbilt, owner of the Hudson River Railroad, suddenly refused to allow any transfers from the New York Central.

According to the documentary The Men Who Built America the motivation for this closure was retaliation against the owners of New York Central for negotiating a new contract in bad faith.

[6] Decisions about rehabilitation included consideration of upgrading the bridge to accommodate high-speed rail traffic.

Doing so would greatly improve pedestrian access between Albany and Rensselaer, but the bridge owner, CSX, was citing safety concerns.

The new lift bridge would consist of 7 spans, be able to handle taller and heavier loads, and allow two trains to cross at the same time.