On Tuesday, voters in California took the first major step toward building the Golden State's first high-speed train and linking its major cities by rail. The news was somewhat buried by the historic presidential election and other California state initiatives like Proposition 8, but in a 52 percent to 48 percent vote, Californians agreed to spend about $10 billion to bankroll the new rail system. The railway will cost an estimated $40 to 45 billion, with other federal and public funding making up the difference.

PM covered California's hopes for a new railway back in September, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had agreed to put the issue on the ballot as Proposition 1A; later, he pushed for voters to approve the expenditure despite the current economic downturn.