Direct answer
Minecarts create movement, collision and tracking work. Hopper minecarts also perform inventory collection; powered rail logic is a separate system.
How to check it
- Count loaded carts in busy hubs and note those with hoppers, chests or passengers.
- Profile while traffic is moving through intersections rather than while the track is idle.
- Test whether the lag comes from rail/redstone cycling, entity collisions or inventory collection.
Example: If stopping a hopper-minecart unloading bay improves MSPT but leaving passenger carts running does not change it, target the inventory collection design rather than all carts.
What to change
Reduce abandoned carts, simplify overlapping routes and avoid keeping unnecessary hopper minecarts active. If using platform-specific rail optimization, validate mechanics before deployment.
Software and version notes
Purpur and Leaf may provide minecart or rail optimizations unavailable in Paper; do not copy cross-fork YAML keys. Changes to collisions can break rail sorters.
Verify the result
Confirm dispatch, routing, passenger transport and collection work under peak traffic with improved measured tick cost.