La is a wasted opportunity

[u/villehhulkkonen]

Imagine if Los Angeles was built like Barcelona. Dense 15 million people metropolis with great public transportation and walkability.

They wasted this perfect climate and perfect place for city by building a endless suburban sprawl.

[u/Nathaireag]

Timing also corresponds to a change in federal highway funding from 50:50, federal:state, for US highways, to 90%:10% for the Interstate system. Suddenly big roads were a much better deal for state governments.

Federal subsidies for rail networks in the US were a big thing in the 19th century. They had all dried up by the mid-20th century.

[u/throwawaydragon99999 → u/Nathaireag]

Some of the biggest federal subsidies for rail networks were the massive land grants — most of which were sold off not that long after the completion of the rail road. Most rail networks weren’t profitable enough to make up for their maintenance once trucking and passenger cars proved a viable alternative

[u/Nathaireag → u/throwawaydragon99999]

19th century rail included long-haul freight, short-haul freight, long distance passenger, excursion passenger service, local/commuter service, and local industrial services: principally for logging, mining, and agriculture. The federal subsidies were important to establishing the long-distance freight, passenger, and excursion services.

Short-haul freight got replaced by trucking. Most long-haul fast freight got replaced by trucking and air freight. Slow rail freight remained competitive where barge service wasn’t. Most industrial uses went away from narrow gauge rail because of the greater flexibility of self-propelled vehicles and tractor-trailers. Logging went from steam donkeys, flumes, and narrow gauge rail to diesel skidders, tractors, feller-bunchers, loaders, and multi-terrain logging trucks. Apart from slower/economy freight, what survived was a vastly scaled down excursion rail system and likewise pared down urban-suburban light rail, plus a few specialty uses.