It may well be that the chances of the Mococo line being re-opened ARE no better than for the NWP. I suspect that UP was making a grandstand ploy when they announced its impending opening.

Consider that there is not one single siding between Pittsburg and Tracy; no active spur or industrial site and no potential for any - NONE. The circuity of the route for the stated purpose - relieving congestion on the Cal-P is obvious. Moreover, the most congested part that same Cal-P to get to the Mococo line must be used. An amazing absurdity - even for the UP! Besides, what traffic could possibly find a routing through Oakland to Lathrop useful, unless it is from a closed coast line - not exactly the stated purpose!

But the rest of the story was never reported in the media at all - they completely missed it - just took the P.R. as it was. At the time of UP's press release, I was told by a very reliable source (a friend at BART - now retired), that BART and UP were in deep negotiations over space on the r.o.w. for their E-BART.

BART first suggesting an outright "as is" purchase of the whole commercially defunct r.o.w. east of Pittsburg (Loveridge Rd.). But UP was driving a very hard bargain, demanding BART completely renew the UP track, including long stretches double track, with BART's own single track to the south side. BART objected to building unused double track, with only space for a single track for dense rapid transit traffic. They saw no reason to improve or even keep unused trackage.

Negotiations had been stalled for quite some time in this impasse when UP announced their intent to start using the line, along with their lame reasons - a ruse actually. I am quite sure UP considered BART to be grandly stUPid. But the attempt of UP to justify its absurd negotiating position, flatly backfired.

BART responded by dropping the potential purchase altogether and going to CalTrans for a R.O.W. in the middle of the freeway. Too Bad! Now they have to wait years for the "Div. Of Highways" to get around to promptly rebuilding the freeway to accommodate rail (good luck with that); not to mention the near billion more that going down the middle of the freeway is going to cost.

Thank you UP! Maybe BART should have filed suit for eminent domain of unused property no longer actually in use for interstate commerce - or even in any use at all.

Or is the UP actually going to surprise close the coast line, diverting all its traffic (what little their is of it left) through Lathrop. They have already sold much of the south half.

So what will happen - only time will tell. But bet on UP doing anything that will force the government's hand if they want to keep passenger trains running - something UP wants to kill off entirely - concept and all.

OPB