Train networks good enough for people to travel wherever they want are difficult on the scale of large countries like Canada, the US, and Russia.
Incorrect. The US was built on passenger rail travel. It just wasn't as profitable as freight and also once cars started becoming a thing then car interest groups started fucking things up to make more money.
We had a world class transcontinental rail system that was stunningly expansive. Much of it, especially the branch lines that went just about everywhere people built towns and cities, has been abandoned, sold, or converted to bike paths. Now we have basically a freight only system with near zero branch service, and some local and inter-city rail transit that is utterly shitty by developed world standards.
Train networks good enough for people to travel wherever they want are difficult on the scale of large countries like Canada, the US, and Russia.
Incorrect. The US was built on passenger rail travel. It just wasn't as profitable as freight and also once cars started becoming a thing then car interest groups started fucking things up to make more money.
We had a world class transcontinental rail system that was stunningly expansive. Much of it, especially the branch lines that went just about everywhere people built towns and cities, has been abandoned, sold, or converted to bike paths. Now we have basically a freight only system with near zero branch service, and some local and inter-city rail transit that is utterly shitty by developed world standards.