California’s high-speed rail system will begin its initial construction in 2013. What is the latest status on the route, the stations and the funding? What are the prospects for additional federal funding and other legislative support from Sacramento? And where does the Bay Area stand in its planning to accommodate high-speed rail and upgrade Caltrain to prepare for the integration of the two systems? The new director of high-speed rail for Northern California, Ben Tripousis, and Gillian Gillett, transportation director for San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, will answer these questions and more.