How is public passenger rail charged?

Question

When using a private freight company line.

Answer 1

the same what the 2 others said

Answer 2

if its private rail then they have to buy rights off of who ever owns the tracks.  railroads do this with frieght too.

Answer 3

Amtrak is a government owned corporation that pays private railroads for operating their trains on private railroads, for example BNSF or UPRR.

I have no idea how much it costs but I have a pretty good idea it is considerable.

For freight railroads to upgrade to passenger train standards takes quite a lot of improvement to track and upgraded signal systems.

Amtrak uses it's own equipment and crews, they are not employees of the railroad.

Answer 4

Most freight rail operators in the UK have franchises over lines where passenger trains operate as well.

If you wanted to travel over a line that was privately-owned and exclusively used by a freight operator (there are a few) you would have to get a travel permit from the owner and negotiate the fare.