American interurban railways.

[adam2]

Once popular and now effectively extinct, Interurbans were relatively lightweight electric railways with at least some street running.
Primarily for passengers, but some carried light freight.
We never had anything quite like them in the UK, the closest approach being electric street running trams, but unlike UK trams they ran for significant distances through open country, from one town to another.
Usually standard UK/USA track gauge, and often electrified at 1,500 volts DC.
Speeds typically up to about 25 mph for street running and perhaps twice that on a dedicated track in the countryside.

It was said that in the Great Depression, that one could travel from the Canadian border to to the Mexican border by interurban for less than one dollar, changing lines more than a dozen times. It took 2 or 3 days.

The last "proper" interurban ceased operation only a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FfvQcGsS-Y Primarily of historical interest, but (re)introduction might be a possibility.

[BritDownUnder]

Partly due to the effect of the car. I understand that there were once "Streetcar Suburbs" in the US and car manufacturers and oil companies in effect paid for the closure of the LA streetcar system. While these interurban railways are slightly different to what I mentioned above they are probably facing the same issues of car competition. When there is no fuel for the cars these alternatives may get missed.

I do think there is something slightly terrifying at the sight of full sized trains going down suburban streets. Must have been annoying to live in a house near to a level crossing.