Trains compete with airlines, not personal vehicles.
At 25 mpg, a personal vehicle would have to carry 28 passengers to have the equivalent fuel efficiency of a train.
I don't think even the illegal Mexicans can squeeze that many people into a car and still make it around a bend without tipping over.
It doesn’t serve the same function so it is not a apples to apples comparison.
Does the train delivery me to my home and to my place of work, any business I choose, any schedule I want?
If I want to live with less function and service, I would expect to get a lower cost.
But I value my time and the ability to chose where I want to go and when. That has a cost I am willing to pay.
“At 25 mpg, a personal vehicle would have to carry 28 passengers to have the equivalent fuel efficiency of a train.”
I’ve seen one of those. Isn’t it called a bus?