Startup plans to test futuristic transport system by year end

Hyperloop One startup, intent on zipping people along at near-supersonic speeds in pressurized tubes, announced on Tuesday that the French national rail company had joined its growing list of backers.

A hyperloop would whisk passengers and cargo in pods through a low pressure tube at speeds of up to 1,130 kilometers per hour.

Hyperloop One said that it raised $80 million in fresh funding from an array of investors, including GE Ventures and France's SNCF.