Yes; the tracks are owned (or maybe just operated) in a lot of places by the freight rail companies. This is a bit of a tangent, but one of the most frustratin

Yes; the tracks are owned (or maybe just operated) in a lot of places by the freight rail companies. This is a bit of a tangent, but one of the most frustrating things about riding the passenger rail (I've experienced this most going through upstate New York) is being slightly behind schedule, and then falling far, far behind schedule by having to wait for a freight train using the same stretch of track to pass. As I understand it, passenger trains are always supposed to be given priority. But in practice it never seems to work out that way. The dispatcher or whoever's making the decision often prioritizes the freight.