Hypothetically, but the characteristics of each could be different (even on the same railroad), and if you miss one window it messes you up for the next and the problems compound.
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A *very* simple overview of characteristics from UP (for instance, local jobs not included): https://www.up.com/aboutup/funstuff/rrtalk/train_types/index.htm
Each of these kinds of trains behaves differently both on the road and in yards. That’s not considering factors such as signaling, crew usage, work orders and more.
Assuming that all the jigsaw pieces just fit exactly into place day after day on an optimized schedule doesn’t align with how Class 1s operate these days. Uday’s thread goes into the underlying friction of scheduled vs unscheduled operations.
No, not at all! But the way you make it work looks a lot less like hours-long windows and more like careful slotting and/or a decent capacity margin to allow for dispatch creativity.
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And if Amtrak gets their way, it would be unlikely a window is missed
https://www.up.com/aboutup/funstuff/rrtalk/train_types/index.htm
Each of these kinds of trains behaves differently both on the road and in yards. That’s not considering factors such as signaling, crew usage, work orders and more.