Russia Plans World's Longest Tunnel, a Link to Alaska - Page 3

cornholio · #41 Posted **Apr 21, 2007, 10:02 AM**

Some people have said this but anyways...this project will hapen, the only question is if its going to be sooner or later. Also when this project final hapens it wont include a highway and it wont include highspeed rail, this i can gurantee. This project will be most likely a two rail tunnel for freight, with a pricy train or two a day for pasengers...and obviously it will include pipelines etc.

Edit: I did a quick map to show how useful a link via the bering sea would be. Just imagine the transport of goods from asia to north america and even south america and vice vesa at 10 times the speed and a fraction of the cost? The Bering strait actualy would have almost the most direct conection between China-Asia and North Amrican-South America.

One more adition, i just noticed that the straight line right through directly links the midle east and the east coast of america, some might think this is bad and sure it would be a even biger undertaking building up pipeline capacity along the coridor through various countries, but just imagine the profits that this tunnel would generate. I real think its a no brainer, the only thing holding it back is politics and the complexity of it. Also think of the enviromental benefits of taking thousands of ships of the ocean.

Tex1899 · #42 Posted **Apr 21, 2007, 4:49 PM**

I have to agree with Cornholio - the pipeline has the greatest chance of being built. I'd say the chances aren't quite as good for the freight railway, and a slim-to-none chance of a highway being built.

And whoever said people on the East Coast aren't prone to driving long distances is right. In my previous job people in PA and CT told me they considered driving more than an hour to be a far drive. I think nothing of getting up on a Saturday morning, driving from Houston to Dallas to meet a buddy for lunch, and then driving home that evening. A 3.5-hour trip (one-way) is not that bad. There are many in Texas who agree. And probably all across the southeast, too. Maybe it's because we're used to getting up early on a Saturday morning, driving to the game, tailgating, and then driving home that night...

anm · #43 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtnClimber

Don't compare Russia to USA.

Don't be rude. Instead, please check out this thread http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=130057

JManc · #44 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 3:39 AM**

this would be inconceivable 20 years ago. i'd drive from houston to moscow. does russia have any stucky's or motel 6's along the highway? or is it just boris's gas and vodka?

R@ptor · #45 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 4:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMancuso

this would be inconceivable 20 years ago. i'd drive from houston to moscow. does russia have any stucky's or motel 6's along the highway? or is it just boris's gas and vodka?

As I said earlier there are no real 'highways' whatsoever in all of eastern Siberia, but only gravel and mud roads.

This is a photo of the main highway between Vladivostok and Chabarovsk, 3000 miles south from the proposed tunnel.

ardecila · #46 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 4:19 AM**

Ah, nice cornholio. When we use a Mercator projection we tend to blow things out of proportion (literally). The trip between, say, Chicago and Beijing is probably shorter flying over the Bering Strait than it is heading due west.

JManc · #47 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 7:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by R@ptor

As I said earlier there are no real 'highways' whatsoever in all of eastern Siberia, but only gravel and mud roads.

This is a photo of the main highway between Vladivostok and Chabarovsk, 3000 miles south from the proposed tunnel.

i was being funny but even then, a dirt road shouldn't be a problem in am SUV

Xelebes · #48 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 8:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMancuso

i was being funny but even then, a dirt road shouldn't be a problem in am SUV

I'd take a pickup truck over a SUV on those roads.

Derek · #49 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 9:03 AM**

i would totally drive that!! i love road trips

in fact, id drive all the way to Western Europe

Raraavis · #50 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 2:58 PM**

There are no roads going west from Fairbanks. It would require building hundreds of miles new roads across very difficult terrain. Very Expensive.

As for it not being that cold. I once visited Kotzebue Alaska just north of the Bering Strait in late April. When I landed about 10 am it was -13 F (- 25 C) it didn't seem like the kind of weather I would want to drive thousands of miles across the wilderness in.

Derek · #51 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 6:55 PM**

im an adventurer

miketoronto · #52 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 7:02 PM**

There is not going to be a highway in this project.

And there is a major reason there won't be. People can't drive long distances in a tunnel like that.

One of the reasons the tunnel between England and France only has rail service, is because they found driving through that tunnel would do something to people's minds, and cause them to lose control of their cars or something like that.

So there will not be a highway with this.

niwell · #53 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 10:49 PM**

^I think it actually has more to do with ventilation (car exhaust), but the end result is the same.

As others have mentioned, if this ever gets built, it will likely in no way be designed with passenger vehicles in mind. Strictly freight and energy transportation infrastructure. I doubt the validity of even passenger rail unless oil prices are high enough to render air travel untenable.

ardecila · #54 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 11:34 PM**

The nice thing there is, freight and passenger rail use the SAME infrastructure. So the thing can be designed as all rail/pipeline and the tracks can be used at a later date for passenger rail if warranted.

jlousa · #55 Posted **Apr 22, 2007, 11:51 PM**

Even if it is freight only, no reason you couldn't drive your car onto a train car and ride over.

big W · #56 Posted **Apr 23, 2007, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

Even if it is freight only, no reason you couldn't drive your car onto a train car and ride over.

What do you think this is a James Bond movie where he escapes to the safe haven of the west?

Nowhereman1280 · #57 Posted **Apr 23, 2007, 2:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornholio

This map is perfect. It shows exactly how much time and money could be saved and made by using a Bering Strait tunnel. This tunnel would probably have to be more than just two rails, one going each way, the amount of volume this tunnel would generate would be enormous. Many airplanes actually do use air routes over the north pacific and Alaska to go from say NY or Toronto or Chicago to Tokyo or other Japanese cities.

There is no way they would continue to use Freighter ships that are slower than trains and have to take a less direct route given the option to send it across the bering strait...

jlousa · #58 Posted **Apr 23, 2007, 4:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by big W

What do you think this is a James Bond movie where he escapes to the safe haven of the west?

What I was pictureing was more along the lines of the chunnel train where you drive your car onto a special traincar at a station, and then you drive off on the other side.

hoosier · #59 Posted **Apr 23, 2007, 9:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

What I was pictureing was more along the lines of the chunnel train where you drive your car onto a special traincar at a station, and then you drive off on the other side.

If the new rail line went through Fairbanks that might be feasible.

I do not want new highways built, but I can live with rail line construction, so long as it does not cut through national parks or preserves.

TheMeltyMan · #60 Posted **Apr 23, 2007, 9:30 PM**

I would definitely consider a drive from Pennsylvania because i'm filled with wanderlust. I've always been interested in places like Siberia, Kamchatka, etc over Paris, the Bahamas and well known places. I would gladly spend three times as much to drive to the Far East than fly there if I had a fair job and a couple months vacation time.

A drive to Patagonia takes miles of paperwork and visas while a very lengthy trip to Moscow (hypothetically) would only take a single visa!