Bering Strait dream won't die -- (The tunnel to Russia)

Alaska Journal of Commerce ^ | 9-2002 | James MacPherson

[Willie Green]

It moves like slow-motion ocean waves, rising and falling. Sometimes little mountains grow out of it. Funny stuff.

Hmmmm... doesn't sound suitable for any kind of large permanent structure, unless it's possible to punch through it to bedrock. Better off with small, independent structures that just kinda float on top of it -- just don't have any rigid connections to something that may move in a different direction.

[RightWhale]

That's pretty much what can be done with permafrost. Just float on top. Flexibility is important. Small structures, cabins, need to be leveled up now and then so the doors work. The Trans-Alaska pipeline moves a lot. Last month a section of it jumped considerably, nearly off the supports.

There is also the existing Alaska Railroad to look at for experience. Sometimes parts of the bed collapse and the tracks dump half a train onto the tundra. It's not something conducive to a high-speed operation.

[DManA]

Um... What does he smoke?

[DoctorMichael]

A tunnel should be built only after we do a "leveraged buyout" of Russia's northeast territories to facilitate the shipment of the raw materials (lumber, minerals etc.) that the current regime and economy over there is incapable of utilizing.

Additionally, the purchase of the northeast territories, much the same as we purchased Alaska from the Czar, would provide for a great "flanking manuver" of the Chi-coms.

[Brad C.]

I would imagine there were people who said the same type of things when they were building the earlier railways across the country. The economic boom and the cities that developed along the routes allowed the country to grow exponentially.

In order to develop our resources we need a method of bringing them to market. Without a transportation sytem it is impossible to do just that. Depending on what you read and who you believe, Alaska has more untapped resources than the rest of the lower 48. But just for general agreement, let's agree that there is a greater opportunity for resource development here in Alaska than in any other state of the union. There are fortunes to be made, let's get to it!!

[NovemberCharlie]

An interesting idea, but I predict the Russians wouldn't let it go cheap.

But on the plus side, can you imagine the way the worlds assorted America haters would react?

[Trailer Trash]

N. and S. Korea are getting cozy all of a sudden.

here's one

Koreas Set to Break Ground for North-South Railways 9-17-2002 .(Reuters)

I think personally, the 'cowboy' W putting them in the 'axis of evil' camp was taken at face value as it should have been.

So punching a rail may now actually add up?

Not to mention the NW passage opening up by 2010

ciao

TT

[Trailer Trash]

oh..

The WT has another one on this today..

Rail construction begins across DMZ

[Trailer Trash]

oh..

The WT has another one on this very subject (Korea rail) today..

Rail construction begins across DMZ