High Speed Rail to the San Francisco Bay Area , as planned along Caltrain, would be NEITHER SAFE NOR RELIABLE. HSR needs secure – i.e., grade separated and fenced – track. Caltrain has dozens of grade crossings and commuter stations.

HSR should initially end at San Jose, with seamless transfers there to Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, VTA Light Rail, and SV BART.

Squander no more HSR money on a Caltrain “Bookend”! This alternative is far better, safer, more reliable, and less costly.

Later up-grade the UP/Amtrak East Bay Mulford line from San Jose to Oakland and on to Sacramento. From a new transfer station at the BART overhead in Oakland, San Francisco’s downtown Embarcadero station is just 6 minutes away, with a train every 4 minutes.

The other issue is Tejon Pass; that issue should have been dead and buried ages ago.