Pretty much every major historical trend of Western societies in the second half of the eighteenth century, from the development of the modern corporation to the advent of total war, was intimately tied to railroad transportation.

Transportation of people, yeah, but it still carries a majority of inter-city freight in North America.

Railroads built America and won multiple large wars.

Umm yes? The metro even if not a big deal in the states is like a small but quiet way it has changed public transport, plus moving freight, plus people over large distances, plus the bullet train that mixed luxury, speed and efficiency onto trains, all of these are quietly disruptive transformations, that I think we all take for granted.

Besides from he fact the freight is still universally carried by the rail when possible, railroads changed the world just like the vacuum valves did. If not for them nobody would invest in developing tire transport or transistors.