Yes, absolutely, you've got the right idea! I agree with you so much that I can't even find anything to quibble with, which is... unusual. Is this a subject that you're professionally engaged with?
Well that's cool. :-) Often, people who like trains too much fail to envision them in a holistic context which includes things that aren't trains. Vice versa for people who like cars too much, of course. Or bicycles, etc. Something about vehicles just seems to breed monomania.
Even more than that, people who like transport often fail to consider it in a holistic context which includes land-use patterns, development typologies, etc. Appreciating the inter-relatedness of these things is not common, even amongst professionals. Maybe especially amongst professionals.
Anyhow, if you happen to be a coder and would like some professional experience with this, give me a shout. I run www.podaris.com, and we're trying to make it easier to build cities the way you like 'em.
And nope, I have no professional experience with this, I just like trains a bit too much and want more of them. :D