US Fed.gov took passenger rail away from the rail companies, after airplanes and road destroyed their original business model, after having been weakened by Federal regulation for many years
I would argue Fed.gov has done NOTHING AT ALL to improve passenger rail
Although we can only engage in “what if” thinking and counterfactional analysis - IF passenger rail had been left in private hands, America would likely have a viable and competitive cross-country passenger rail system.
We have no way to know, because we have now had 50+ years of total Fed.gov control.
The tracks are privately owned.