What is a track warrant?

[wa8pyr]

That is probably exactly what is happening, then, and explains why there might not be much radio traffic.

Most short lines around here don't have too much chatter on the radio unless 1) they're leaving one track section and entering another as authorized by their track warrant, and 2) when they're switching. And as regards #1, they may not even do that if they're the only train on the line.

I'd bet that most short lines around the country are similar.

 

[INDY72]

The time you hear more action on short lines is when transition over a big railway trackage, and talk to those dispatcher for orders on that mainline to move and/or transition to siding, work yards, etc.

 

[merlin]

a track warrant would be similar to a flight plan which pilots have to follow.

Close, but more like ground control and a hold short instruction, like SeaTac mandates a readback to tower ATCs.