British Rail

Before it was privatized, British Rail was four efficient companies, each with different regions. Then, it was nationalized into one company. That arrangement also worked well. The current privatized arrangement is a total mess. There are companies that own the tracks, stations, etc. It is private ownership that only could have been designed by a government. Nobody is really responsible for anything, and things are much worse. You have to wonder how anyone could think of such a stupid way of doing it.