Post, Freight and Carriers

Do freight trains have to give way to passenger trains?

I don't know much about rail travel but I was wondering this. When I take the passenger train we never slow down or stop on sidings even though the line also has plenty of freight trains. So, I assume that they have to stop, am I right? Is this because they don't normally go as fast as passenger trains? How do the freights get back on schedule again if they have to wait on passenger trains? Or do freight trains have shedules? I really don't know.

Public Comments

1. Not anymore. I had to wait for 5 hours on the california zephyr because of a Union Pacific engineer who refused to move because of some engineer's union or something like that. It was better in the 50's. And like other trains they still have to follow a schedule.
2. Some do, some don't. Here in the UK, freight often runs at up to 75mph. This can be slower than passenger services but the freight isn't stopping as often as, say, a commuter service, so the freight wouldn't necessarily be holding up the passenger service. While the majority of freight runs at night, you can actually run the two types of traffic together during the day. All trains run to a schedule, even empty passenger trains on their way back to the depot. There will be a certain number of "paths" available at different locations in which you can run a train. Freight will often get "looped" (held in a siding or passing loop) to allow passenger services to pass, but this is normally in their schedule. Then again, some slow passenger trains will also be "looped" in a station platform to allow a faster passenger train to pass. On the routes I drive, this is scheduled to happen at Broxbourne with trains running to and from Stratford in East London to allow a faster Stansted Express train to pass. It can also happen additionally at various locations with any slower service if it is delayed more than a certain amount and causing delays to other services operating around it.
3. In the 70s, when Amtrak was formed and the freight railroads were relieved of their obligation to provide passenger service, part of the deal was that the freight railroads would give Amtrak trains priority on their tracks. However, this has been very poorly enforced by the federal government, with the result that Amtrak trains sometimes incur lengthy delays due to blocked tracks. And yes, freight trains do have schedules. When they are full, they go much slower than passenger trains since they are heavier.
4. It is not up to the train crews, it is determined by a train dispatcher. Yes, passenger trains have priority when it can be done. There are times when operationally this is not possible due to length of sidings, trains having mechanical problems etc but 99% of the time, freight trains give way to passenger trains.
5. Reg and Rango (as the pros) are correct for their locations as always. I'll give a response to an "unusual" stretch of tracks... the 90 odd miles upon which the Cal-Train commuter systems operate. During the hours of passenger traffic (5am-midnight), freight trains are not permitted on the tracks !! The perform ALL their operations between 1am and 4am !! The exception is the last 10 miles in Santa Clara and San Jose, where they have a dedicated track for the UP (Union Pacific) traffic.