It’s certainly plausible Progressive Rail and Trail Now are on the same page regarding the Santa Cruz-Davenport segment as prospects for freight on the West Side and beyond have all but vanished. The reason they’d be on the same side would be to remove the tracks, as SPP wouldn’t have to maintain the ROW and Trail Now could get their long imagined trail without having to share space with the railroad. Of course, this would all be up to the RTC, as Progressive Rail is merely the contracted operator and Trail Now is the vocal opposition for the anti-rail constituency. Of course, the two parties will disagree on the other 20+ miles, as we know Trail Now is adamant on a path only option, one that Progressive Rail and the RTC oppose. Time will tell to see what happens, but my prediction is that after a few years of silence and little activity, the political aspect will pick up steam.
-Nick