What about "car trains" ??   Want to go to say Florida,, drive your car down to the train station, drive on to a flat or gondola type car. set park brake.. (along with everyone else) train goes 3-4-7 hundred miles, stops, drive off at destination.

I've NOT been there but seen quite a few PBS shows about parts of europe who ONLY have train tracks between towns-cities no roads. People drive onto car trains, and get hauled to their next destination.