Houston may wind up doing it without federal money, too, not necessarily by choice. But obviously it can be done. Denver's train ride is smooth sailing, powered by overhead electric cables. The train glides silently along the side of the street, not clogging the traffic lanes, with no exhaust fumes fouling the air. The cars are squeaky clean.
Passengers face each other, like they do on the New York subway.
The passengers are a strange mix. You have businessmen sitting next to college students across from moms taking their babies to the doctor. Supposedly there's something psychological about a train. People who would never dream of riding a bus happily park their cars on the outskirts of town and hop a train to work. Stockbrokers can ponder their portfolios.