micdotcom:

L.A. to S.F. in under 3 hours — without flying. It’s happening. 

California is about to get the nation’s first bullet train.

KPCC reports that Tuesday marked the official start of work on a high-speed rail line that will zip passengers between Los Angeles and San Francisco at a stomach-churning 200 mph. For an estimated cost of $68 billion, the new train is expected to cut travel time between the two cities to less than three hours from the six or more it takes now.

According to KPCC, the first phase of the project includes a 28-mile stretch of track from Fresno to Madera Additional phases planned would complete the 520-mile stretch between San Francisco and the Los Angeles Basin by 2029.

Oooh. Shiny shiny fast trains.