What does the term possession mean in railroad operations?

• A. Permission to sell tickets.
• B. Control of a block or route by a train or crew; others must not occupy or use that route without permission.
• C. Right to dispatch trains without approval.
• D. Ownership of rolling stock.

Answer: (B)

Possession is about who has the right to occupy and use a specific section of track at a given time. When a train or crew has possession of a block or route, that section is under their control and others must not enter or use it without permission. This gives a clear, exclusive window for safe movement, preventing two trains from occupying the same track segment at once. Dispatchers grant possession through signals, clearances, or timetable authority, and it ends when the train clears the block or when authority is withdrawn.

The other options miss the mark because they describe unrelated rights: selling tickets, dispatching without approval, or owning rolling stock. None of those define who can occupy and move over a track segment.