Point well taken. The state of Vermont has 626,000 residents, There is Amtrak service to a good bit of the state, even the far north. It may have to do with long time senators and the one representative, who have been in Washington for some time. Rail service for the masses, in very rural Vermont. IMO. There is a Vermont-er, (snow train) for all those big city skiers to Killington Mt. and other mid-winter get away spots in Vermont. 
We have made attempts at mass transit, IMO. Another 15 years of filling the highways with additional vehicles will dictate better more efficient transportation as highway grid-lock increases. There is discussion about additional mass transit, Washington DC at present. Those who have driven I 95 in the DC area would kind of get the idea.
