There are a whole list of questions like that, and since via the LOSSAN main, you have direct access to both West Colton and San Berdo, in around six hours from the border, which are major terminals where the Baja traffic can be incorporated directly into destination blocked trains originating from those terminals.

Whereas, under this scheme of operations, UP would likely have to make pickups with destination blocked trains at Niland, and tie up the mainline and sidings picking up various blocks, or re-sort them somewhere further on for destination blocking, which is doable, but may not save that much time or shipping cost to be worth going via the SDAE.

So, I've always been very skeptical, despite this latest, better funded group, on the economics of opening this line. The business plan phased opening to Jacumba might make more sense because then they could ship aggregate out by rail via LOSSAN.

The key may be those matching funds from the Mexican government, that would offset part of the cost. That may or not be a worthwhile subsidy, depending upon the overall aggregate economic benefits (jobs, gdp, competition advantage for new business), which would likely come from an additional point of rail access via Niland or Mexicali. And, let's not forget national pride...as we spend billions in CA on a political obsession with super high speed rail, so we can show how cool, bitchin', and modern, we are.....?

You can also send and receive cars from Mexicali where you have access to receive and interchange cars to and from the Mexican west coast rail network. Which is another factor to consider in the thinking on their projected traffic base that makes the "magic" happen her. But, the Intercal, beyond where the line to Sonora cuts off, is long gone, but a good portion of ROW still exists, more or less intact.