[coalteddy]

The reason is probably because, in the EU, passenger rail transport is prioritised over cargo. For example in Switzwerland rail cargo is mainly transported during the night because thats the only time the network isn't working at it's limit for the passenger trains.

In Canada, to my understanding, it's the other way round where passenger trains have been reduced because of the need for more cargo train trips. The USA might be similar.

[WirelessGigabit]

In the USA most railroad are owned by the railroad company. When Amtrak wants to use a piece of rail they pay the railway.

But the USA is VAST. Freight trains are LONG. Not much of America's West is actually double track. And when you have a shorter Amtrack and a long freight train the Amtrack loses. The Amtrack has to wait until the freight train has passed.

As the freight trains run on PSR [1] there is no fixed time as to when they pass and thus the Amtrack can not run reliable.

As such it is easier for me to drive from West Los Angeles to Las Vegas, or even to drive to LAX and then fly to LAS than it is to take the train.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_railroading

[rascul]

Amtrak blames freight trains for not following the law and the DoJ for not enforcing the law. Which is just one side of the story.

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/p...

[zuppy]

wendover did a good viedeo about that a while ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQTjLWIHN74

the law says that passenger trains have priority, but nobody respects or enforces that.

[pests]

I believe you, but why does your source claim otherwise?

"Under PSR, freight trains operate on fixed schedules, much like passenger trains, instead of being dispatched whenever a sufficient number of loaded cars are available."

So do they leave on a fixed schedule, or is there no fixed time? It sounds like the previous system had no fixed time (leave when ready) whereas in the PSR world - there is in fact a set schedule.

[WirelessGigabit]

They don't leave on fixed time. This is a big part of the union complaints. The engineer needs to be on standby and be there in 2 (?) hours when the train is 'full'.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dgezn/the-worst-and-most-eg...

[pests]

My issue is Wikipedia claims it does not work this way anymore. They do not leave when the train is full - they leave on a fixed schedule.

Why is everyone here claiming that is not true? Is Wikipedia wrong?

[WirelessGigabit]

So I started to read more, and you're right.

I spend a lot of time reading to what the union members said.

E.g.: https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjkzbq/28-freight-rail-worke....

That sentence doesn't match with the idea of a fixed schedule. A fixed schedule doesn't require you to be on-call, because you know when the train will leave.

I'm confused now.

[stvltvs]

AFAIK, Amtrak discontinued passenger service between LA and Las Vegas years ago.

[ajmurmann]

Yeah, I understand that in the US the rail is actually owned by cargo train companies, so they give their trains priority.

[pests]

Which is against the law.