Those places are comfortable with subpar transit conditions. There's nothing actually individually desirable about taking the train compared to having a private car take you directly between points A and B, people just seem to shy away from admitting that in favor of pro-social signaling in support of public transit.

It can exist. Just add trains.

The lack of other public transportation is already real in much of the US.

(If we're not adding trains, then there's really nothing here to talk about in this context -- is there?)