Calif. Bullet Train Faces More Delays

It was supposed to be "shovel-ready," remember?

The start of construction on California's bullet train, one of the nation's largest "shovel ready" public work projects that was awarded stimulus funding three years ago by the Obama administration, is slipping past already-delayed target dates, interviews show.

In early 2012, state officials said construction would begin that year. Early this year, officials adjusted their sights, saying they would begin building the massive new transportation network in the spring, later announcing the groundbreaking would take place in July.

Now, it appears that serious construction may not begin this year, and could be delayed into 2014.

Factors contributing to the sluggish start include delays in getting a construction company under contract and lack of key federal permits.