From: stephen@sprunk.org   
      
   On 08-Apr-15 23:24, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
   > hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:   
   >> Unfortunately, it seems most modern railroad managements are   
   >> pre-conditioned to hate passenger trains and will have nothing to   
   >> do with it, even if reasonable negotiations could result in Amtrak   
   >> picking up much of the tab for track improvements.   
   >   
   > Are you insane? Congress doesn't appropriate monies for Amtrak   
   > service for significant track improvement. Clearly this should be   
   > done, but it's not.   
   >   
   > Passenger trains should be slotted like UPS or intermodal service,   
   > which are essentially scheduled freight trains. So this can be done   
   > on modern freight railroads.   
      
   That may be how some freight RRs run, but not all of them.  On UP, for   
   instance, trains leave yards/sidings whenever they're ready (which can   
   be several hours earlier or later than planned) and it's up to the   
   dispatchers to sort things out.   
      
   BNSF is closer to running on a schedule, but they still don't use fixed   
   slots.  This becomes glaringly obvious when their trains hit TRE's   
   tracks, which _do_ have explicit slots for both passenger and freight   
   trains during the day.  Depending on when freight trains arrive, they   
   may have to wait an hour before the next slot opens.  OTOH, they do   
   know--to the minute--when the entry signal will clear and when they'll   
   exit on the other end.  DGNO also uses TRE's (and DCTA's) tracks but   
   almost exclusively at night, when slots aren't used.   
      
   S   
      
   --   
   Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein   
   CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the   
   K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking   
      
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