This would more than likely turn all of California’s rail freight into road freight (or even worse, air freight). It’d probably end up being a net worsening of

This would more than likely turn all of California’s rail freight into road freight (or even worse, air freight). It’d probably end up being a net worsening of emissions considering how much more efficient rail freight is than trucks. And converting a 19th century rail network into something that can support high-speed rail is no small task. You’d eliminate the land acquisition costs, but that’s about it. It’s pretty defeatist to abandon new rail anywhere that land values are high. It’s expensive but at least you’d have something new and useful at the end of it, rather than sacrificing an excellent freight rail system and ending up with the bad balancing out the good.