California high-speed rail skeptics aren't just local anymore—they've found organized allies in Washington, D.C.

Six members of the Bay Area Congressional Delegation, along with higher-ups in the U.S. Department of Transportation, have formed a weekly working group tasked with analyzing the serious problems Peninsula residents have in relation to high-speed rail, said Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-Palo Alto).

"There are a host of issues that need to be dealt with," Eshoo said. "If there is, in fact, construction, it has to be done in conjunction with the view of the people who live in the region. And if you leave the Peninsula out, you don't have high-speed rail."

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood formed the group after a Sept. 30 meeting with Eshoo and her five colleagues. They expressed concerns over the California High Speed Rail Authority's questionable financial plan, poor construction strategies, flawed ridership studies and the overall disrespect the agency has shown Peninsula communities since the beginning. The weekly meetings will also touch on sustaining and modernizing Caltrain, which desperately needs funding, Eschoo said.

The voter-approved plan to run a bullet train from San Francisco to Los Angeles, eventually linking to San Diego, has worried Eshoo for some time. The September meeting was triggered by a May letter to LaHood, signed by Eshoo and her five colleagues. Since then, she said, the rail authority's behavior has only worsened.

"There are many things that have transpired since the letter," she said. "It's the reason why communities are suing and the reason why communities are up in arms."

Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Atherton are leading the legal charge in a suit claiming the rail authority has skirted its responsibilities under the California Environmental Quality Act. The cities have also passed resolutions of no confidence against the project, now estimated to cost $43 billion. The three cities filed the joint lawsuit in late September.

The Palo Alto City Council was especially concerned about the rail authority's study on ridership numbers, which they formally questioned in a resolution.

Councilman Yiaway Yeh said it's dangerous to pour so much cash into something that might not produce economically.

"This has to be done right," Yeh said. "The fact that people at the federal level are stepping in and that it's an organized effort is impressive. It's awesome."

The Department of Transportation declined to comment on the meeting's roster and what the members might discuss. A spokesperson said only that "Secretary LaHood established the working group to open up a dialogue about regional rail issues—including (the high-speed rail authority)—with members of the Bay Area delegation."

Eshoo was joined by congressional leaders Mike Honda, Jackie Speier, George Miller, John Garamendi and Mike Thompson.