This whole thing kind of ignores the fact that the rail companies own these lines and Amtrak doesn't want to pay them enough to make it worth their while.
And your whole comment ignores the fact that government subsidized those rail lines under the condition that the companies run passenger rail.
They failed to do so, and government gave them a free pass. Government should have stripped them of their rights due to breach of contract
The article addresses the fact that, while the freight industry owns the track, Amtrak by law have priority. So either the law is being carefully tiptoed around, or the freight industry is breaking the law.
>Amtrak, a government-chartered corporation, was created in 1971 from the ashes of private carrier passenger service. As part of the deal, freight rail companies generally retained ownership of the tracks, along with the responsibility of maintaining them and running service. Amtrak received the rights to run trains along those tracks. By law, Amtrak’s passenger trains also have priority over freight traffic.
It's the first time I've ever heard of this law and isn't true in the general case or entirely not enforced. I've ridden Amtrak (outside major corridors) several times and every time the train has had to stop to let freight trains pass. It's never had priority.