"It’s the same reasoning that went into building Oahu’s highways, which connect East Honolulu to West Oahu, Central Oahu and the Windward side. "

Ahhhh, the great canard.  Will Rail allow my plumber to bring his tools and pipes and replacement sink to my house? No! Will Rail allow me and my family to travel seamlessly from one side of the island to the other? No! Will Rail allow Matson to haul a 40 foot trailer to the local Safeway? No! Will Rail transport the logistics and personnel of our military when they deploy? No!

Using an integrated network of highways to justify Rail is nonsense.  Nothing can compete with an integrated highway network for the volume and types of traffic it can transport with complete diversity of origins and destinations and at low ongoing cost per vehicle supported.