The scene is all to familiar - an abandoned branch railroad, connecting a major city to the rest of the rail network. Monterey in California got its railroad in1880 and passenger services ran with the Del Monte Express continued until 1971. Freight services were gradually withdrawn to finally cease in 1994.

From an amateur's viewpoint, a region like the Monterrey peninsula seems perfect to be serviced with a modern a light-rail commuter service to the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the years since the passenger services ended, there seems to have been several serious attempts to restore passenger services, but given that the line is in the hands of thee different owners and that the tracks from Sand City into Monterrey have gradually disintegrated, there are quite a few practical problems to overcome. On top of this is the usual suspicion regarding publicly funded projects so the overall task seems somewhat overwhelming.