Trains actually are automated, at least the light rails, and rapid transits. I spent a great deal of time in the Bay Area, using metro and BART. I would always watch the conductor. The BART conductor would just sit there monitoring, once in a while would press a button to re-open the doors, etc. Braking, accelerating, cruising, stopping was all automatic. Same thing for Metro up until they would be street level.
The major railroads can control trains through radio control, and often do in the switching yards.
As far as the public accepting the technology, once your car drives itself, the show is over. Just watch the progress of the Google car. Google themselves have stated they want to bring the technology to the cockpit, and they will.