'Such a rail link was proposed several years back, and gained some media attentio, at that time. Magazine cover art,IIRC even some coverage and comment here on the TRAINS Forum....
Seems that the Chinese "New Silk Road Initiative" is apparently, stiring interest in creating the link tha twas proposed some years back; connecting the Asian land mass to North America, via a rail connection between Siberia and Alaska.
To refresh some memories, here is a lnk to some photos: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Railroad+brikdge%252FLink+between+Siberia+and+Alaska%253F&t=newext&atb=v320-1
As well as, a couple of linked articles on the subject:@ https://inhabitat.com/russia-green-lights-65-billion-siberia-alaska-rail-and-tunnel-to-bridge-the-bering-strait/
and then this article: @https://www.arctictoday.com/is-the-world-ready-for-a-bering-strait-rail-link-between-alaska-and-russia/
"Is the world ready for a Bering Strait rail link between Alaska and Russia?"
"Proposals for a bridge or tunnel linking Eurasia and North American via the Bering Strait have cropped up for more than a century. Are the latest plans any more plausible than previous ones?"
samfp1943Seems that the Chinese "New Silk Road Initiative" is apparently, stiring interest in creating the link tha twas proposed some years back; connecting the Asian land mass to North America, via a rail connection between Siberia and Alaska.
What makes you think that this new proposal is reviving any sort of interest in that proposal from over a decade ago about creating a rail link across the Bering Strait?
It was difficult to take it seriously back then. And with today's crisis it's laughable and I can't imagine anyone in a position of power in North America or Russia thinking it's a possible option anytime soon.
That article was from 2019. The world has changed just a little bit since then. It'll never happen in any of our lifetimes, if ever.
Controversial Idea? You Bet it is! But so was the Chunnel between historic countries that had fought each other in a umber of conflicts; but today, it is a matter of fact, and commerce between those nations.
The Chinese, are apparently, awash in 'Cash' [ sourced with 'Western Cash' (?)] and political ambitions.....They are funding all sorts of construction projects aroun d the word. Who would have ever conceived they would contgrol/own(?) the Panama Canal. Also control much of the International Commerce all over the world. Not to conceive of, but to be on the cusp of putting together a "road' and rail, project thatr would tie together all sorts of historicaly diffewrrent nations and their politically different histories?
As the old saying goes."...Never, Say Never..." A potential, International railroad, and attendent empire? Surely, a topic for these Forums.
If Alaska were connected to the rest of North America by rail this would make more sense. Also, any tunneling in this part of the world AKA "The Ring of Fire" would require onerous seismic design considerations.
Why do you keep ignoring that it goes across Russia? That's the sticking point. Russia will be a pariah as long as Putin, or his type, are in power.
Another minor issue to consider. Aside from the engineering concerns for boring said tunnel, what would it connect with on either end?
samfp1943Controversial Idea? You Bet it is! But so was the Chunnel between historic countries that had fought each other in a umber of conflicts; but today, it is a matter of fact, and commerce between those nations. The Chinese, are apparently, awash in 'Cash' [ sourced with 'Western Cash' (?)] and political ambitions.....They are funding all sorts of construction projects aroun d the word. Who would have ever conceived they would contgrol/own(?) the Panama Canal. Also control much of the International Commerce all over the world. Not to conceive of, but to be on the cusp of putting together a "road' and rail, project thatr would tie together all sorts of historicaly diffewrrent nations and their politically different histories? As the old saying goes."...Never, Say Never..." A potential, International railroad, and attendent empire? Surely, a topic for these Forums.
Despite the political issues - that at present are beyond solving. The reality is that one is trying to tunnel between both sides of the 'Ring of Fire'. Both sides of the Pacific are seismicly active as various continental plates keep moving against one another with their earthquakes and volcanoes.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The other factor is that such a railroad will travel through some of the coldest most inhospitable regions of the globe on both sides of the Bering Strait.
Think about the aforementioned circumvention of Russia for the other proposed link a Ross Uzbekistan and Kazanstan. One big reason to choose that route is they are not Siberia. Yes there is currently a few trains that went by that route for a while between China and Europe. But the Ukraine war pretty much puts and end to that.
samfp1943 Controversial Idea? You Bet it is! But so was the Chunnel between historic countries that had fought each other in a umber of conflicts; but today, it is a matter of fact, and commerce between those nations. The Chinese, are apparently, awash in 'Cash' [ sourced with 'Western Cash' (?)] and political ambitions.....They are funding all sorts of construction projects aroun d the word. Who would have ever conceived they would contgrol/own(?) the Panama Canal. Also control much of the International Commerce all over the world. Not to conceive of, but to be on the cusp of putting together a "road' and rail, project thatr would tie together all sorts of historicaly diffewrrent nations and their politically different histories? As the old saying goes."...Never, Say Never..." A potential, International railroad, and attendent empire? Surely, a topic for these Forums.
The relationship between the UK and France in 1973 (when final agreement was reached to dig the channel tunnel) bears no comparison whatsoever to that between the U.S. and Russia today.
You're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water )
So, how far do locomotives typically travel on a full tank of fuel? How many crew changes to travel 6,000 miles?
Would Russia make a viable source of water enabling us to circumvent protective covenants restricting water use on this continent?
Convicted OneYou're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water )
That does beg the question - is there a market?
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Many companies are slowly shifting offshore production to countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, Philippines and Indonesia, because of Chinese policies.
Convicted One You're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water ) So, how far do locomotives typically travel on a full tank of fuel? How many crew changes to travel 6,000 miles? Would Russia make a viable source of water enabling us to circumvent protective covenants restricting water use on this continent?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Not in our lifetime.
Convicted OneYou're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling
Murphy SidingRealistically, how would this railroad line compete with ocean shipping of the same goods using ships and infrastructure already in place?
I don't really have an answer for that. Under current conditions, I see scant opportunity.
But, things can always change. A significant political collapse on either side of the Bering strait could suddenly make such a link expediently advantageous.
Alternately, climate change could become a driver. If things get to the point where it becomes more a matter of moving people to where the water is, rather than vice versa....then that 6,000 mile figure mentioned earlier might become substantially reduced?
tree68 Convicted One You're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water ) That does beg the question - is there a market?
Convicted One You're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water )
Exactly! Other than petroleum and natural gas, Russia has few marketable goods. Connecting to Siberia seems...odd.
BEAUSABREHow about a tunnet between Newfoundland and Ireland? It's only about 2000 miles
What you MEANT was to build a floating bridge between Halifax (much better rail connections!) with a dedicated line across Ireland and then an equally-interesting way to cross to Britain (Stranraer-Larne ideas?). Support the floating bridge by constructing floating wind-power farms all the way across.
Icebergs? use autonomous tugs to tow them to ports for water-by-rail in the frozen or liquid state. Storms? put most of the wind-farm infrastructure 30' or more below MSL. It's obvious how the generated power cables would be routed...
With the focus connecting to sibera, one would conclude they plan to connect with the existing Trans-Siberian line. Will they use compromise wheel-treads on interchanged equipment or use a break-bulk operation? Not sure if braking systems on cars are ineroperable.
OvermodHalifax (much better rail connections!)
rrnut282 With the focus connecting to sibera, one would conclude they plan to connect with the existing Trans-Siberian line. Will they use compromise wheel-treads on interchanged equipment or use a break-bulk operation? Not sure if braking systems on cars are ineroperable.
BEAUSABREObviously you would connect to the North American network at the best easternmost point with a conventional railroad to the tunnel/bridge entrance
CSSHEGEWISCHThere's no railroads even remotely close to the Bering Strait on the Asian side.
(But if the USSR could build the BAM, they could surely run a line north from the Trans-Siberian to the area in question...)
Just think of all the water they could bring to California!!
While they're at it, they could build across the jungle of no return to connect the Americas by rail.
Then there's FastShip. What would world trade look like today had that idea sailed?
The major impetus for the last Alaska rail link was to haul Canadian tar sand oil, but all the major oil companies have gotten out of the oil sands.
CSSHEGEWISCH rrnut282 With the focus connecting to sibera, one would conclude they plan to connect with the existing Trans-Siberian line. Will they use compromise wheel-treads on interchanged equipment or use a break-bulk operation? Not sure if braking systems on cars are ineroperable. There's no railroads even remotely close to the Bering Strait on the Asian side.
charlie hebdo tree68 Convicted One You're talking 3,000 miles from Seattle to the Siberian coast (at the narrowest point of the Bearing strait), and at least another 3,000 miles beyond that to get to any freight worth hauling. (other than water ) That does beg the question - is there a market? Exactly! Other than petroleum and natural gas, Russia has few marketable goods. Connecting to Siberia seems...odd.
Murphy Siding CSSHEGEWISCH rrnut282 With the focus connecting to sibera, one would conclude they plan to connect with the existing Trans-Siberian line. Will they use compromise wheel-treads on interchanged equipment or use a break-bulk operation? Not sure if braking systems on cars are ineroperable. There's no railroads even remotely close to the Bering Strait on the Asian side. or on the North American side, if we're being honest about it.
or on the North American side, if we're being honest about it.
To be fair. Fairbanks Alaska is alot closer to the Bering Strait than Yakutsk(Where the current RZD network terminates)in the Sahka(Yakutia)Republic.
Assuming a point between Wales AK, and Uelen CAO(Chukotka Autonomous Okrug).
Fairbanks-Wales 580mi as the crow flies.
Yakutsk-Uelen 1765mi..
Truth be told a rail connection isn't needed. Nor would the low amount of traffic justify such a project. They'd be better off building and using ice roads across the Bering Strait. When the ice thaws use a Ro-Ro Ferry. Or... Use a hovercraft year round to conduct trade. Then again using a hovercraft would require a cost study as well. They consume alot of fuel and require pretty consistent operation to justify their cost of operation..
Aside from all this however. A more feasible and better trade link would be Anchorage AK-Avacha Bay in Kamchatka Peninsula. Both are ice free year round and can accomodate deep draft vessels. Yet a rail line would still need to be built to Avacha Bay.
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