My impression of Morris Brown's position, based on postings on the hsr blog, is that he is convinced the CHSRA is not at all interested in any compromise away from a massive hsr-Caltrain footprint on the Peninsula. Four track tunnels would prove prohibitively expensive and the CHSRA planners are not happy with surface or in trench grade separation. So it seems that Brown and friends are convinced that if the CHSRA moves ahead the Peninsula will end up with 20 foot high, 120 feet wide berms right thru the middle of their toney suburbs. They are more likely motivated by worries about blight than by Reason Foundation ideology.

And the specific and restrictive language of Prop 1A may be attracting lawsuits because there perhaps can be no way to modify it other than nullify it.

If I had my druthers there would be a re-vote, which would allow for route selection, including an Altamont-I-5-base tunnel alternative, which I believe would provide the most effective starter line for the buck. A direct escape from LA is worth the extra billions.

I hate to say it, because I am no BART fan at all, but a BART Ring-the-Bay replacing Caltrain might make sense, especially from the pov of places like Palo Alto because the latter could probably find the money for a 2 track BART subway, ala Berkeley.