3 ms·

> It's ridiculous that the rail industry can handicap passenger rail by just increasing the length of the trains until they physically can't fit in the sidings.

> It's ridiculous that the rail industry can handicap passenger rail by just increasing the length of the trains until they physically can't fit in the sidings. The freight carriers own the tracks and have priority, passenger rail are just mere guests. The alternative is the freight carriers tell them to f off. An analogy is the relationship between the cellular carriers (who own the digital rails) and MVNOs that ride on them; the MVNOs get deprioritized service.

ddulaney 2y ago
By law, passenger trains have priority in the US. This was part of the deal when the current freight railroads were established: remember that the US railroads as they exist today are largely the outcome of a series of Federal actions in the 80s and 90s. There hasn’t been enforcement of that rule, but it remains on the books.
lkbm 2y ago
This is 100% false. The agreement in which Amtrak was created to take over passenger service, allowing commercial railroads to prioritize freight, they were given precedent[0]. You might think the regulations leading to this agreement were bad, but this is the reality. Legally, the freight carriers do not have priority, and by law they cannot tell passenger rail to "f off". [0] https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/HostRailroadReports/Amtrak-2022-Host-Railroad-Report-Card.pdf https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/p...
throwup238 2y ago
49 U.S. Code § 24308 (c) Preference Over Freight Transportation: > Except in an emergency, intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation provided by or for Amtrak has preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction, or crossing unless the Board orders otherwise under this subsection.... [1] [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/24308 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/24308
jeffbee 2y ago
> The alternative is the freight carriers tell them to f off. I am sure the owners of the railroads imagine themselves to be bootstrapping heroes of capitalism, but the deal when the United States created the railroads and gave them 175 million acres of land was that " ... the government shall at all times have the preference in the use of the same."

ddulaney 2y ago

By law, passenger trains have priority in the US. This was part of the deal when the current freight railroads were established: remember that the US railroads as they exist today are largely the outcome of a series of Federal actions in the 80s and 90s. There hasn’t been enforcement of that rule, but it remains on the books.

lkbm 2y ago

This is 100% false. The agreement in which Amtrak was created to take over passenger service, allowing commercial railroads to prioritize freight, they were given precedent[0]. You might think the regulations leading to this agreement were bad, but this is the reality. Legally, the freight carriers do not have priority, and by law they cannot tell passenger rail to "f off". [0] https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/HostRailroadReports/Amtrak-2022-Host-Railroad-Report-Card.pdf https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/p...

throwup238 2y ago

49 U.S. Code § 24308 (c) Preference Over Freight Transportation: > Except in an emergency, intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation provided by or for Amtrak has preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction, or crossing unless the Board orders otherwise under this subsection.... [1] [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/24308 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/24308

jeffbee 2y ago

> The alternative is the freight carriers tell them to f off. I am sure the owners of the railroads imagine themselves to be bootstrapping heroes of capitalism, but the deal when the United States created the railroads and gave them 175 million acres of land was that " ... the government shall at all times have the preference in the use of the same."