i don't recall exactly where i read about that, was a story on zerohedge i think. just pointing out how incredibly government-controlled and not-libertarian the entire project of the US highway network was. they were sorta trying to argue that self driving cars might make roads better, but they were of the opinion that railway was far better and functioned very well before the government took over transport.
the same thing happened all across the world as well. trams were phased out, railway stations closed, rail lines abandoned, very often just left to get covered in weeds. the only kind of rail that didn't get wiped out was subways, but IMO subways are very fucking dangerous, for all kinds of reasons not the least of which being how easy a hydrogen explosion could be set off in one.
anyway, it just makes me think that there is a military strategy reason behind it. that is, that a land force is strengthened by a functioning passenger and freight train network, and tricking people into supporting its dismantling is a sabotage attack that seeks to keep the control of the land power from sea and air power.