Elon Musk: Government gives Hyperloop verbal OK

July 20 (UPI) -- Canadian entrepreneur Elon Musk on Thursday said the U.S. government gave him verbal approval to proceed with plans to build a high-speed Hyperloop train between New York City and Washington, D.C.

The tube train would transport passengers between the two hubs in 29 minutes.

"Just received verbal [government] approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop," he wrote on Twitter. "City center to city center in each case, with up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city."

He specified the company still needs more formal permission to move forward with plans.

"Still a lot of work needed to receive formal approval, but am optimistic that will occur rapidly," he tweeted.

Hyperloop transportation consists of a pod-like vehicle propelled through pressurized tubes at supersonic speeds.