It's all out of date, and/or irrelevant, except that some of the work on improvements on LOSSAN south will be to a standard that will be 110 mph. speed "eligible", if LOSSAN or ML wish to run the new Siemens equipment at that speed.

I have long predicted that we are far more likely to see that "inferior" "HSR" 110 mph. speed threshold crossed on a segment or two of LOSSAN, long before we ever get our "stranded investment" on the CAHSRA's "runaway money train" up and running in the Valley.

It is irrelevant because, unless we start seeing Federal judges willing to enforce Amtrak's operating rights, and requiring the RR's to improve performance, nothing is likely to happen to make the long distance routes work any better.

Of course the other reality is that given our other rail passenger demands and funding "needs" in the US, which have a list of much more cost effective investments needing funding to improve services, in plance where we have the rail passenger volumes to justify it, spending the kind of money necessary to do this for the SW Chief is a "pipe-dream"... possibly, from some folks smokin' too much Indica over there on TO...?