I thought that there was a post a while back on some improvement projects already programmed for the Salinas "service" to start up, as always, vaguely and purportedly scheduled for "sometime" "next year"....? Some station, or maybe even signal/siding improvements have been identified, and some money has been found, IIRC?

Which year that might be, seems to keep changing. As does what types of IC and/or Commute type service they will operate, and what improvements would be required for a given proposed service level.....and the agency/agencies who will be the operator/operators might be....?

I worked with these folks in Monterey County on some State level issues back in the late 90's and they were "promising" this to their citizens and many local elected officials who've always wanted rail service. And I observed that generally, the management and staff was ignoring, and even at times appeared to sabotage, efforts to "save the branch" for potential future service.

That was over 20 years ago when saving the branch ROW as a corridor into or very close to Monterey would have been much a much easier task.

A first world rail system would offer Express level IC to the East Bay, City, and Sacto, as well as "locals" and peak commuter services, to and from nearby major subcenters this close to a major congested urban travel hub (multiple "hubs" in this case San Jose, SFO, the City, OAC, SAC).

Imagine "real" passenger rail services, with fast, frequent, affordable, and reliable services, serving the clear demand that we see every day on one of our most congested interurban freeway corridors...…. Is it that hard?

Maybe, when they build the 7,000 car park and ride in Gilroy, for the runaway money train, everyone can just drive there? I'm sure they'll love that in Gilroy....?