An earlier version of my screed had the Tracy route mainly affecting a different set of developers than the Los Banos route - edited out for length. Or maybe an additional set of developers if an Altamont route would go through Los Banos too? Anyway, transportation routes and land development have gone together for thousands of years; why should CAHSR be any different?

I figure the part that's currently under construction will be paid for out of transportation funds (since that's how Arnold and Jerry have done it and nobody's going to change that) for the next 40 years, allowing more and bigger potholes to form. And most likely it'll just allow Amtrak to speed up to 100 or so from their current 80 since it won't have the connections needed to run HS trains. Yes, a boondoggle, and the Kopp crowd designed it that way. Oh well. Main question at this point is whether and how much benefit can be extracted from the little bit that does get built; even the Coast Range Tunnels (by whatever route) will cost way more than the money that was originally available, let alone what's left after building the Valley segments. The SoCal connection (by whatever route) will be more than double the Coast Range segment by the time everything's done, though a little could be shaved off if your (Bob's) tunnel scheme were seriously considered. Unfortunately, you haven't donated enough to the right political causes to be heard.

Burnham said: Make No Little Plans. These days, if anybody might be able to see or hear what you're planning, it's toast.