MTR profitability?

Question

I read in Wikipedia that the MTR Corporation (the rapid transit system or metro in Hong Kong) made a profit of about HK$7.7 billion in 2006 (I round that off to about 1 billion USD). How are they able to make that much money? Does most of it come from advertising, fares, property development, or others? Many mass transit systems here in the US (and other parts of the world) lose millions of dollars and require large taxpayer subsidies. The LACMTA here in Los Angeles recovered only 30% of its operating costs in 2004. The New York Subway recovered 67% in 2002. The WMATA in Washington, D.C. recovered 61% in 2002. The London Underground recovered 84% in 1991.

Answer 1

the usa does not push rapid transit use like they do auto ownership

Answer 2

Consider the population. Americans are free spirits, we like to come and go as we please.