HANFORD, Calif. — Hundreds of miles from Los Angeles and San Francisco, the first leg of California's high-speed rail line is rising above the almond trees and grape vines of the Central Valley.

This summer, construction workers put the final concrete girder in place for the Hanford Viaduct , an elevated structure more than 6,300 feet long. It's part of a 119-mile stretch around Fresno and Bakersfield that's already under construction, and where crews could begin laying track as soon as next year.

"This is all doable. This is all buildable," said Ian Choudri, the CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. "The hardest part is over."

If you want to ride on a train traveling more than 180 miles per hour, you can find one in Europe. Also China , Japan , Indonesia , Turkey,

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