Who here has spent time learning about real-world rail-network practices/building/signalling/whatever?

Things like how the choice is made to make main routes and branch lines. How do the major railways handle priority on main routes? Etc.

The more I play, the more I want to capture more of that in-effeable "aha, now that's right" with my rail networks. Of course I'm running into my own ignorance. Never worked for the railroads, not sure where I'd even turn to start learning.

Obviously some things just aren't going to translate. We don't get to stick strings of full coal hoppers on a siding for a week. The game doesn't offer marshaling yards and doesn't have a way (that I know of) to have mixed destination freight trains.

Still

Has anyone gone down this path with openttd? Just starting to? What'd you find out? Where'd you learn from?