[leot]

Prior to the destruction of North American light rail systems, a process accelerated by US auto companies (which bought urban rail cos only to then neglect them) public transit companies were entirely private and often entirely capitalized with profits and private investment. Many streetcars used to profitably have two people working on them: one driver and one toll collector.

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_con...]

[mozumder]

This was possible because cities weren't as developed as they are now. Property was cheap back then.

These days, the major expense of building a mass transit system is just buying property. And in cities, these properties are going to be already developed.

Right now, there are individual buildings in US cities that cost over $1billion, so grade-separated ground rail is not going to happen for cheap. That only leaves tunneling, which also isn't cheap.