Shanghai's magnetic levitation train hits 270 mph. Wikimedia Commons California is slowly advancing toward its goal of building a $69 billion high-speed rail network connecting San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

Despite an ongoing legal battle and some tremendous engineering challenges, construction is set to begin next summer.

Until the project is complete, American rail travelers will have to settle for Acela trains, which hit 150 mph.

While impressive compared to highway speeds, that's nothing next to what real high speed rail can do. Among the fastest in the world, these trains regularly top 200 mph and even crack above the 300 mph mark.

Travis Okulski contributed to this story.