I suspect Americans think trains are an awful experience not because of the trains, but because there will be other people on the trains. It's one part "don't make me interact with a human," and one part "white people don't ride busses."

It might also be one more part actually creepy people, but I bet most folks don't get that far into their evaluation.

Yep! pee seats for starters, no bathrooms (hence the pee seats), not grocery shopping friendly (load up the old trunk), weed smell (I think this is more of a 2009 and later issue at least in the West), and then there's the spooky people, knife attackers, the guy that keeps sneezing, late arrivals, early departures (miss the train?)... anyhoo. I think I just about killed it.