1) Freight traffic was stopped for a couple of days according to the story. It's moving again. But I agree: if it gets to the point where freight can't move for an extended period, things will get serious in San Diego.

2) How is Amtrak servicing their stranded equipment in San Diego? They must have at least one trainset there, covering the bobtail SD-Oceanside trips (look for 17xx train numbers in the train-tracking maps). A deal with Coaster for maintenance?

3) Those complaining about the cost of HSR (many of which complaints are justified) should consider the likely cost of moving both Del Mar and San Clemente inland. The numbers thrown around seem to add up to a large fraction (approaching unity) of what HSR has spent so far.

4) Those who might say: "fix the SDA&E for a backup" should consider the likely cost and time to put that line in decent shape for heavy use, which it's never been in before. And the fact that running more freight there would require shutting down the light rail line to TJ, since the tracks are shared, or building a new freight line paralleling light rail all the way from downtown SD to the border.

5) Will the Mexicans revive the freight line to Ensenada scheme to bypass the broken tracks in San Clemente?

6) Is this starting to look like a SoCal version of NWP in the canyons?