Keep in mind that NYC and Chicago have the unfair advantage of having most of their rail infrastructure already built during the private rail transportation boo

Keep in mind that NYC and Chicago have the unfair advantage of having most of their rail infrastructure already built during the private rail transportation boom from the 1800's to WWII. Most of the subways and rail transit in these regions are still running on lines that were built between 70 and 120 years ago. The west coast has to rely on clumsy governments and public financing to move anything forward for all of its transit infrastructure, which is why it takes so painfully long to get it right