This from the SMART website on last weeks General Managers report at the meeting in Santa Rosa:

NCRA Coordination ‐ NCRA Operating Agreement Progress
Staff is still in discussion with NCRA regarding the remaining points of disagreement. The discussion is down to a small number of items. It is still hoped that the remaining outstanding issues will be resolved with a final agreement anticipated soon.
NCRA Coordination ‐ Preparations for Operation of Freight Service over SMART Tracks
Although the NCRA Operating Agreement has not yet been completed, SMART has already begun to prepare at a practical level for its implementation by meeting with NWPCo operations personnel, documenting operational and safety procedures, and, as approved by the Board on September 15, engaging RailAmerica to provide dispatch services complying with the requirements of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Details of the short‐term actions taken thus far in anticipation of the operation of freight trains over SMART tracks and through SMART construction sites were presented to the Operations Committee on March 9.