> The Siskiyou Regional Rail Authority
> has already applied for the third round of
> ConnectOregon funding for a 16 million dollar
> grant to purchase the line. One of the main
> sticking points to the application is that the
> grant money must be used only on Oregon related
> proposals, a majority of the proposed rail line to
> be purchased is located in northern California.
> Hammond says his group has provided additional
> details in the ConnectOregon application that will
> make it possible to use the grant for the complete
> purchase.
> The grant request will not be decided
> upon until late August of next year.

Connect Oregon grants are not restricted to projects located within Oregon - as it benefits Oregon transportation. Bigger considerations may be the Connect Oregon process itself.

Not awarded until August of 2010 - then wait for the bonds to be sold (paid by Lottery revenue); this is a slow process.
A minimum 20% match is required - I doubt California will add anything for their "share", so where do they get the match? ($3.2 million minimum?)
Connect Oregon II saw the top 30 projects split the $100 million (out of 70 applicants), and has to compete with other rail, marine and aviation applications.
The project has to have substantial regional and statewide political support to be ranked high enough to even be considered.
I doubt this proposal will be ranked high enough to be funded considering the cost and relative benefit to Oregon, and considering that there needs to be an investment in Coos Bay Rail Link to get it back open and operating.