Thanks to $2bn in federal stimulus funding from the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, the state of California is planning to develop a new high-speed train which can reach speeds of up to 300kph. 

With chronic economic problems, the state hopes the new project will create thousands of new jobs and encourage people to rely on trains instead of cars.

But many Californians have had a historical love affair with the automobile, so getting everyone on board could be a challenge.

Al Jazeera's Mike Kirsch reports from Los Angelos.