the UA

… Ukraine? Normally you’re not supposed to use “the” when referring to it these days.

And while I’m sure rail is an important element of the development of modern Ukraine, I don’t think its the most significant example.

It's much harder to plan around property ownership when you can't just kill the property owners.

American culture is generally anti-collective so that "independence" coupled with cars becoming status symbols ensured the death of rail in America.