>>1280747You're totally missing the point here. Most European rail corridors are actually under-capacity, at least for frieght movements.
>ROWThe vertical separation of track infrastructure from the train operators allows for a much more open use of the infrastructure by a wide variety of train operators. The same line can be used for local S-Bahn/RER type service, regional Regionalbahn/TER type services, long distance Intercity and Eurocity trains, not forgetting the high-speed TGV/ICE type services which are on their way between a central train station and a high speed line.
In all cases, each one of those services might be run by a completely different company, and when that is the case, the trains must run according to schedules they are given, a little bit like how aircraft are routed and scheduled by slots by ATC.
At night, when passenger service is minimal, or even stops, freight operators, of which there are probably something like 2 dozen of, will start carrying out their main operations as more slots in the network open up.
>size over speedIn Europe, freight trains rarely go above 180 km/h (that's about 111 mph), but depending on weight, some freight trains might have very restrictive speed limits if they are hauling heavy loads, so that they can stop in time for an adverse signal. While North American trains are much longer than European freight trains, it's not speed that is king of European freight rail, it's frequency. What one freight train in the US with maybe 3-4 locomotives in the trains might haul, about the same amount can be carried in 3-4 trains in Europe.
>major industriesThis is also done in Europe
>efficient dieselsEfficient electric locomotive are more efficient than diesel locomotives, and have up to 3 times the power and tractive effort. The mass 3 US diesels can haul can be done with 1 East German electric locomotive.
>loading gaugeNot really relevant, in my opinion. This ties into train size argument.
