A meet is when two trains, moving in opposite directions, meet each other. While this does refer to all cases, it is used most commonly when there is only a single track with passing sidings. In this situation, a meet occurs when one train goes into the siding and waits for the train, or trains, moving in the opposite direction to pass. A badly planned meet can sometimes take hours. If the dispatcher planning the meet is not familiar with the territory or with running times, a train may wait quite long time, sometimes several hours, for the opposing train to arrive at the meet. If a dispatcher knows the territory well and is very familiar with running times, they can plan efficient meets, where all the involved trains are delayed only minimally. The best dispatchers can plan headlight meets.
A headlight meet happens when both trains are within sight of each other as they approach the meet. Both trains approach the opposite ends of the siding at about the same time, and the meet happens very quickly, allowing both trains to continue their trip in a short period of time. Headlight meets are the favorite among railroaders because it means they will not have to spend a long time sitting in a siding doing nothing.
Do not confuse headlight meets with cornfield meets. A cornfield meet usually ends in tragedy, as it is the term for a head-on collision.
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