I know you're just trying to make a metaphorical comparison with railroads, but the story isn't that simple. In the U.S., intercity railroads found they could

I know you're just trying to make a metaphorical comparison with railroads, but the story isn't that simple. In the U.S., intercity railroads found they could make more money by focusing on freight and leaving passengers to poor Amtrak. If Warren Buffet's acquisition of BNSF is any indication, the private railroads are quite profitable. The decline of intracity passenger rail in the U.S. has many causes (massive public investment in the Interstate highway system for one). Still, it's worth remembering that auto companies played an active role in acquiring and disassembling streetcar lines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspi...