Who pays for the medical care that is provided by ERs and hospitals to those who have no money or coverage? You believe it goes poof? You are in the business you know that there is no free ride for us payers, whether thru taxes or higher medical or insurance bills. All of us who have insurance or pay cash for medical care are paying for it. You fixate on trains, how about buses, subways, light rail the el?Gosh, this is a perfect example. It's cheap because it's subsidized by people that don't use it. We all have to pay into it, for the 3-5% of workers that actually use it. I think the overall # is somewhere around 15%. So 100% of people pay for something that a small % use. Similar to ACA. Pretty terrible investment in the real world, but a worthy investment in the eyes of Democrats/socialists. Roughly 6% of people utilize ACA plans, and we all pay the taxes, fees, compliance. Great for 6% of people, not great for everyone else.
Look at California's high speed rail. Everyone pays into it, almost no one will use it, if its ever completed. Colorado has a front range passenger rail on the ballot this fall. I have yet to find anyone that wants it. And the people that do want it think people who will never use if should have to pay for it. Socialism sucks, it's the race to zero, and will make things worse for 90% of people while it helps the tiny minority.
Private transportation is more expensive because it's only paid for by the people that use it, and because they still have to abide by all the regulations that the govt puts in place.