You clearly have never taken Amtrak over distances. I have taken Amtrak numerous times Emeryville - Denver.
The reality is:
1. if the siding is only 1km long - the Amtrak train is taking the siding as the freight train will not fit on it.
2. if the dispatcher decides the freight train goes ahead of Amtrak -- there is no lawyer around to argue the point.
3. if there is a long section of single tracking, with freight backed up the opposite direction, the dispatcher allows the all the same direction freights to move. ( 2+ hour delays when that happens )
4. If there is enough of a delay and a freight train crew in front goes outlaw - then that train stops until a replacement crew is brought in... which usually results in the Amtrak crew going outlaw as well.
It has gotten a lot, lot better and the scenery is beautiful - but please don't kid yourself about the realities on the ground. Amtrak has to stay in the good graces of the railroad companies especially with a hostile congress.
The reality is:
1. if the siding is only 1km long - the Amtrak train is taking the siding as the freight train will not fit on it.
2. if the dispatcher decides the freight train goes ahead of Amtrak -- there is no lawyer around to argue the point.
3. if there is a long section of single tracking, with freight backed up the opposite direction, the dispatcher allows the all the same direction freights to move. ( 2+ hour delays when that happens )
4. If there is enough of a delay and a freight train crew in front goes outlaw - then that train stops until a replacement crew is brought in... which usually results in the Amtrak crew going outlaw as well.
It has gotten a lot, lot better and the scenery is beautiful - but please don't kid yourself about the realities on the ground. Amtrak has to stay in the good graces of the railroad companies especially with a hostile congress.