Generally, I can't get into games like that. They remind me too much of work.
It does take work if you want your transport company to run as efficient and as profitable as possible,
this work is split for majority of the gameplay into 2 parts:
1. Laying out tracks, stations, signals, junctions, modifying the same, and anything related to constructing transport infrastructure.
2. Management of traffic, grouping vehicles, monitoring profitability, dealing with traffic congestion, resource management etc.
When I started this game for the first time I was pushed back due to pixel graphics because I'm used to play games with modern graphics, however once I figured out how fun it is to manage gigantic transport company I forgot about graphics and got used to graphics, now I love this game.
So you have to play it for a few days until you grasp the mechanics to really appreciate it and start loving it.
I personally enjoy management games and strategy so for me work that's needed is very fun because with good organization it's possible to manage really big and complex transport networks.
Do these games require things like doing the underground infrastructure, such as sewer, water, and sometimes power?
No, nothing complex like that, basically the map is populated with cities and industries, cities produce passengers and mail, and industries produce various resources, each of these resources require adequate transport vehicle that can transport them.
This are trains, road vehicles, aircraft, ships and tramways as addon, each can fit to carry certain cargo.
That's about all, there are other game mechanics such as each city being its own authority which influences how the city views you (your rating) if there are multiple players or AI's which determines how cargo is distributed among players.
You can interact with cities by bribing them and similar.
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Overall you have to enjoy doing management work and taking care about how you organize your transport to be efficient and profitable.
I enjoy the most learning various station and junction designs for rail networks, it takes to memorize as much of them as possible to construct them without looking at pictures, here are some screenshots:
wiki.openttd.org
https://wiki.openttd.org/en/Community/Junctionary/Transmogrified (select junction screenshots on the right)