Live in sunny LA and commute daily to a job in San Francisco? That will become far more appealing if Elon Musk's Hyperloop becomes a reality.
What now involves a 55-minute flight and all the hassles of airport security could become a 30-minute ride from what will essentially be a train station.
The Hyperloop operates on a vacuum-like system. Passengers will ride in large pods that travel at more than 600 mph -- more than twice the speed of the fastest bullet trains today.
So far, the company has built a 500-meter test track above ground in Nevada.
But the challenges remain significant. To start, building a vacuum tube over hundreds of miles of land could cost billions of dollars. In addition, the Hyperloop must travel in a straight line so passengers don't get sick.
Other challenges include obtaining access to available land and regulatory approval. Environmental reviews could take years.
