Yes, this is the same people/person behind the BNSF CDA branch proposal. Peter Cooper of Pan-American Railway actually filed STB papers protesting the removal of the tracks out of CDA. BNSF basically called him crazy in their STB response. I talked with Peter Cooper back then and he was all full of great dreams that would be awesome and would work in a model train world but didn't have real life viability. I don't know if he has money behind him or just wants money to build the ultimate hobby railroad.

The Lewiston-Moscow-Spokane could be done with relaying and upgrading existing lines but it would be a wandering line zigzagging east and west a lot. There are several options for routing. It would hardly be a direct, fast route without massive tunnels, cuts, and bridges.