SAN MARCOS – Even his critics agree that Wendell Cox is good at what he does: Killing rail projects.

His supporters, including some new ones in San Marcos, are hoping he is good enough to block a long-planned North County commuter train. And that's what Cox, a consultant from Belleville, Ill., tried to do this week on a whirlwind speaking tour.

Cox, hired by opponents of the Escondido-to-Oceanside train, spoke to the San Marcos and Vista councils Tuesday and to what was described as a "town hall" meeting in San Marcos last night.

His message was simple: Rail projects don't work except in densely populated cities with large job markets, such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, New York City and Chicago. The $351 million North County train, called the Sprinter, is a waste of taxpayers' money, won't attract many passengers and won't relieve traffic congestion on state Route 78, and it should be killed, he argues. The train is scheduled to start service in 2005.

Cox may have helped persuade the Vista City Council, by a 2-1 vote, to go on record opposing the 22-mile project, which also would have a loop to CSU San Marcos.

Last night, Cox was the featured speaker at a meeting arranged by rail opponents in the San Marcos City Hall council chambers.

Cox called the Sprinter "the worst rail system in the country."

"I'm not opposed to rail; I'm an opponent of waste," he said.

Cox said the actual cost of the rail will be close to a billion dollars. He suggested widening Route 78 would be cheaper.

So who is Wendell Cox?

Some of his critics question whether he really is an unbiased rail expert, rather than a hired gun.

G.B. Arrington, of Portland, Ore., who describes himself as a transportation expert, has created a Web site to challenge Cox's credibility.

"According to his resume," Arrington wrote, "Cox has played a role as a hired gun in the defeat of rail projects in Milwaukee, Chicago, Orlando, Phoenix, Seattle, St. Louis (Cox's hometown), Denver, Aspen and Salt Lake City.

"In 2000 he has been actively opposing rail and smart-growth strategies in cities including Dallas, Denver, San Antonio, Atlanta, Austin and Auckland, New Zealand."

Arrington, who works as a transportation consultant, said he battled with Cox in Auckland, where a rail project proposed there is on hold.

"He's very effective," Arrington said in a telephone interview yesterday. "But the first comment I would have to make about Wendell Cox is what he does for a living is to travel from city to city saying rail is bad and buses and more roads are good."

Cox, in an interview earlier this week, disputed such descriptions of him.

"You're a hired gun," he said to a reporter. "You're paid by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

"Don't you think the North County Transit District has had their own hired guns over the years, consultants telling them what a great project they have?"

In fact, a marketing consultant for the transit district supplied reporters with information from Web sites that criticize Cox.

Neither Cox nor San Marcos Councilman Mike Preston, who said he arranged for Cox's visit to North County, would say how much he was paid. But Cox's Web site says he receives $2,500 for each speaking engagement.

How influential will Cox be beyond San Marcos and Vista in stopping the rail project?

Councilman Lee Thibadeau boasted that with San Marcos, Vista and Encinitas now lining up against the project, "We only need two more cities to stop it." The North County Transit District, which is building the project, is governed by a nine-member board made up of representatives of eight cities and the county.

But Peter Aadland, a spokesman for district, said yesterday that he didn't expect much change in the rail project's support. Encinitas' opposition, Aadland said, is largely based on problems it has had with the district involving the existing Coaster train from Oceanside to San Diego.