I wish Synonymouse would explain the purpose of his sensationalist post--I assume it was to tout the passage of Prop. 1A by suggesting that a side benefit of high speed rail would be a reduction in grade-crossing carnage. I'm kind of surprised (since I understand him to be relatively local to the Bay Area) that he seems unaware that Caltrain mowing down motorists and pedestrians is a semi-regular occurance, and not a particularly compelling news item (except on a slow news day, of course!). In any event, if 1A passes and we get high speed rail, how will that affect a strictly local commuter operation? Does that mean Caltrain will gain a fully grade-separated right-of-way as well? That brings to mind the degree of work and condemnation of private property that would occur in built-up areas. So when the news media reports a timeline for completion of such a project (quoting press releases supplied by the proponents and swallowed whole by the reporters and editors), does anyone factor in the decades such a project is likely to spend in the courts before work even begins?