I think there are a ton of opportunities to use unused or infrequently used existing rail infrastructure. Passenger rail travel was more common when the population density of the country was lower [0], so there's no reason we couldn't restore it.
For example, a local city wants to expand a road leading to the downtown area, to improve traffic flow from the highway to the downtown core area.
I'd much rather they build a parking garage where we have a park and ride lot, and run the modern equivalent of a Budd Car on existing track a couple miles into the city and back. The tracks parallel the road they want to build, and anybody who wants to drive into the city is going to park and walk around anyway, so why not reduce traffic and make it less frustrating to go downtown?
For example, a local city wants to expand a road leading to the downtown area, to improve traffic flow from the highway to the downtown core area.
I'd much rather they build a parking garage where we have a park and ride lot, and run the modern equivalent of a Budd Car on existing track a couple miles into the city and back. The tracks parallel the road they want to build, and anybody who wants to drive into the city is going to park and walk around anyway, so why not reduce traffic and make it less frustrating to go downtown?
[0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car