1. A method of scheduling the movement of trains, each over a selected route, by predicting the occurrence of congestion due to the planned movement of the trains over a selected route comprising: (a) identifying factors which contribute to congestion; (b) assigning a metric for each factor; (c) evaluating the metrics associated with a selected route; (d) if the evaluate metrics exceed a predetermined threshold, scheduling one or more trains scheduled for the selected route to alternate routes.