The gentleman was hired as a manager, a field in which he had quite a bit of experience. He was used to getting flack from some members of the public (see above) and he knew the ins and outs of local, state and federal government. He was able to get funds from all levels of government. He figured out ways of saving money in unconventional ways, such as buying a bridge from Texas.

And most importantly, he hired people who knew what they were doing in fields in which he had little or no experience. That is what a manager is supposed to do.

Now if you are opposed to the whole concept of passenger rail in Marin and/or Sonoma, that is another matter...