I just moved Garland TX and the railroad tracks pass near my house. When I first got here I was excited because I love watching trains and I get a great show nearly every day.
The the first train I saw was Southern Pacific so I just assumed the tracks belonged to the SP. A few days later I saw a BNSF on those same tracks and I noted that the bridge that crosses the road said Santa Fe. If you look at the tracks on Mapquest, it says they belong to the Santa Fe too.
Since then I've see Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Texas Northeastern, and DGNO (Dallas Garland). I've seen two Norfolk Southern locomotives leading an BNSF in the same train and I've seen a Texas Northeastern locomotive leading a Southern Pacific locomotive in a train. I've even gotten pictures of a Southern Pacific locomotive pulling Amtrack cars. (I'm assuming they are old ones being reconditioned or something) Every time I hear a horn blow and I go outside and there is no telling what is coming down the tracks.
My question is: If all these railroads use the same tracks, who pays to maintain them and how does each railroad keep track of their trains if they are on someone else's tracks?