Passing loops for freight trains

[passengerpigeon]

Dear community,
Does anybody know how I could make a four-track section on a double-track railway line where freight trains go into the sidings, letting faster passenger trains pass them on the inside lines? At the moment, I am having to build entirely separate railway networks for freight and passengers, which isn't very realistic, and the alternative of using short, fast freight trains isn't profitable. I have built such a passing loop setup on a test world but do not know how to signal it to allow what I describe. Also, I have created a set of minimum speed signs for railways that I could use for this setup, or simply waypoint the freight trains into the siding.
Thank you in advance,
Passengerpigeon.

[Vladki]

Yes, minimum speed signs or waypoints are one part of the solution. Then you have to use short blocks on the cargo (slow) track and long blocks on the fast track. In extended you can use 2 aspect signals on slow, and 3-4 aspect on fast. In standard there is quite new "priority" signal for this, that behaves like a 3 aspect signal.

[Ters]

Having a freight train move into a siding and stop, means that it has to accelerate back up to speed and leave the siding. This may actually cause more disruption to the line than just having it move at its top speed all the time, depending on traffic density. Letting the fast trains go around may actually be better, since the freight trains may then accelerate in a straight line, which is faster.

In one instance, I found it better just to have the freight trains use one track with corresponding passing loops, while the passenger trains use the other track with corresponding passing loops. In this case, the freight trains are quite slow, both in terms of top speed and in acceleration, while the passenger trains are few. If I need more passenger trains, I would add an extra track for them, for a total of three.

[passengerpigeon]

Then you have to use short blocks on the cargo (slow) track and long blocks on the fast track.

Thanks, that worked for me.