--"Speaking of Balkanization, BART wrote the book and started the craze. Wrong gauge, wrong voltage, you name it. But if the federal government were to lay down national design standards(a la PCC or USRA)there would be a great gnashing of teeth."--

The primary reason for BART's weirdness was paranoia, pure and simple. The Powers That Be deliberately designed the system so that the Mighty Southern Pacific could NOT run freight trains on it - I KID YOU NOT! The fear and loathing for the SP infected every part of the design process; the end result is a Lionel set run amok, with a financial sea of red ink that rivals Lake Tahoe.