Hyperloop is certainly moving at a faster pace, with European tracks already in the works. In the US, Hyperloop One is gearing up for a systems test in 2017. And a crucial part of that goal just went into play.

Hyperloop One’s first manufacturing plant, Hyperloop One Metalworks, just opened in North Las Vegas.

The 105,000 square-foot building is set to be home base for many of the company’s 170 engineers, machinists, welders, and other employees. Their first task will be building the necessary components for the DevLoop, a full-system prototype of the Hyperloop, which is set to be tested by 2017.

Hyperloop, a concept of Elon Musk, envisions the use of pods in controlled, tube-contained environments for transport. This system allows fast movement due to the lack of friction and air resistance. The Hyperloop proposed for Europe projects a half-hour travel time between the rough 400 km (about 300 miles) separating Helsinki and Stockholm.