Leap frogging freight trains

[Slasharoo]

A question for the learned amongst you...We are on the 97 just north of Jacksonville, and we just past a freight and now we are stopped while that same freight passes us. Seems a little odd. The fact that we are 1:45 behind schedule may have something to do with it

 

[Steve4031]

There is probably a complicated set of circumstances surrounding this occurrence. Is your train stopped because of a mechanical issue? At a station?

Most likely the dispatcher is trying to get several trains through an area with limited passing siding. Sometimes freights can't fit into a siding. Then the dispatcher sends the freight through.

 

[BCL]

Could be a matter of where the sidings are located and how long they are.

 

[neroden]

That's definitely odd -- even suspicious. If the sidings, turnouts, and branches are arranged particularly poorly, it *could* be legit (most likely if you're in single-track territory and the freight train is way too long for the sidings, which is bad practice anyway).

 

[jis]

I think it is hard to come to any conclusions without a little bit more detail about where exactly this happened and which train was on which track. I can think of scenarios where such a thing could happen without any malice involved, just a bit north of JAX Amtrak station.

 

[zephyr17]

Best find someone onboard with a scanner.