A second mayoral candidate is talking about connecting two of the state's biggest transit hubs by rail. This has been studied since the turn-of-the-century (20th.... A second mayoral candidate is talking about connecting two of the state's biggest transit hubs by rail. This has been studied since the turn-of-the-century (20th) mind you, so don't be surprised if it's mostly hot air.

Just after the leading candidate, an old-machine, blue Democrat named Bob O'Connor suggested connecting downtown to Oakland by streetcar, candidate Michael Lamb suggested connecting the two hubs using self-propelled diesel cars on existing Amtrak right-of-ways.

Not a bad idea, but these lines were built to avoid the places in-between these trains can serve. It could provide a damn-good express service however, though I'm not sure of the proximity quality for an Oakland transfer point.

Anyway, Lamb also said a highway under construction would do more harm than good rather than provide economic development. Right-on! At least everyone's talking about it and they're talking about the kind of public transit that does help in terms of urban quality-of-life, rail.