[Newsbot]

Title: Russia plans $65bn tunnel to America
Category: Economics
Posted By: commanderkai
Date: 2011-08-25 21:04:01

[GreenTiger]

It sounds interesting. I think the better the commercial links the better the political links.

[bootlegga]

No thanks, it's just another route for the 28 Weeks Later zombies to get to North America....

[BartSimpson]

This would be a brilliant move on the part of the Russians. The tunnel and the industry that would follow it would consolidate Russian influence in the Pacific Rim and diminish the power of China and Japan as Russian goods could be shipped faster and cheaper to the Americas and vice-versa.

It would also lessen tensions between the USA and a nationalistic Russia by increasing trade and tourism between the two. Likewise, the prospect of rail travel from New York to London would be bloody amazing!

[eureka]

A long tunnel in one of the world's most geologically unstable regions!

[martin14]

If they build it, I will use it.

[sandorski]

An interesting idea that I'm sure will make Economic sense at some point.

[raydan]

eureka eureka:

A long tunnel in one of the world's most geologically unstable regions!

If they were to build this through the islands from Kamchatka to Bristol Bay... but the plan is to build much farther north though Diomede Island. I guess they'll need a nice hotel there.

[Bruce_the_vii]

What a fun idea. A rail link between Russia and China (and almost Japan) and North America. I do like tunnels and this would be a great one.

[commanderkai]

martin14 martin14:

If they build it, I will use it.

Same here. Zombie fears aside, Note: Make sure we have a nuke inside the tunnel in case of zombie invasion Taking a rail trip across three continents would be amazing. As much as most of the Asia leg of it would be through Siberia, it'd still be amazing.

Would Europe/Asian rail lines be able to use North American cars and engines, or is there a standard in place?

[martin14]

commanderkai commanderkai:

martin14 martin14:

If they build it, I will use it.

Same here. Zombie fears aside, Note: Make sure we have a nuke inside the tunnel in case of zombie invasion Taking a rail trip across three continents would be amazing. As much as most of the Asia leg of it would be through Siberia, it'd still be amazing.

Would Europe/Asian rail lines be able to use North American cars and engines, or is there a standard in place?

It's all different, but there are switching yards, and its not difficult to pick up
a boxcar from one type of undercarriage to another.

[RUEZ]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Would Europe/Asian rail lines be able to use North American cars and engines, or is there a standard in place?

Much of the world uses a standard gauge for their rail. Unfortunately Russia isn't one of them. The real problem is the couplers. North America uses a vastly different system than Europe. However that's where containers would come in usefull. They can be loaded and unloaded onto any train.

[jeff744]

raydan raydan:

eureka eureka:

A long tunnel in one of the world's most geologically unstable regions!

If they were to build this through the islands from Kamchatka to Bristol Bay... but the plan is to build much farther north though Diomede Island. I guess they'll need a nice hotel there.

Looks like they already have the equipment in place to begin too.

[BartSimpson]

commanderkai commanderkai:

Would Europe/Asian rail lines be able to use North American cars and engines, or is there a standard in place?

The proposal is for high speed rail and that would be a system unto itself requiring new infrastructure which renders the question of matching tech moot.

[Canadian_Mind]

My only complain is there seems to be very little talk about Canadian involvement. Considering it would be either CP or CN (which goes through Fort Nelson? ), that's a lot of rail business that could come our way, not to mention construction contracts or technology bids building the tunnel and/or rail lines we could be bidding for.