So ... classic article and classic response from Metrolink. A Real Railroad (not a politically-controlled transit line) would just build walls (for protection of the trains against neighborhood vandals) and go ahead on an exemption (it's in the existing r/w). ML will have to rummage around in the FRA and MTA money bins and find another $250 mil, then tear out all those inconveniently close homes. That would be about $100 mil for the properties that are within 100 feet or so, and another $100 mil for federally-mandated relocation expense, and another $50 mil or so for sound walls and contingencies. End up with a 250-foot-wide r/w. Then it becomes a homeless encampment. Or maybe find a $B or so and put it in a trench? None of them actually ride the train, right? And what about those mobile home parks in a couple of other spots? Oh well ...