Look at those FRA documents. There was, originally, a 125mph DMU train option. 150mph EMU was determined preferable, with about a 20% higher capacity. The DMU option was not carried forward to the ROD as a viable alternative. So switching to diesel (is Brightline's train equivalent to the DMU option?) is one more thing that needs to be dealt with in reevaluation. Of course, back in the 2000s, Tier 4 wasn't really a thing yet; it is now, so the diesels are cleaner than they were for the original analysis; that's a bonus.

Let's assume, as you say, that it can be built as approved but minus the electrical. That's actually good from a direct impact perspective because the land etc. for power systems wouldn't be needed, and that would make BLM happy. Again, something for the reevaluation. But would that and downscoped vehicles cut the cost in half? I doubt it - something more is needed.

I'm pretty sure that Branson *will* find a way to go forward with this, if he stays interested in building new railroads once he gets to Orlando. I hope he will, though you never know with entrepreneurs. It just won't be a slam-dunk startup; a fair amount of work is needed to cross T's and dot I's, and I don't see much in public yet showing that happening, so I'm a little worried. Not a lot worried, but a little. The Victorville "news" article doesn't provide useful or new information, though, either way.