“In what could certainly be one of the boldest infrastructure developments ever announced, the Russian Government has given the go-ahead to build a transcontinental railway linking Siberia with North America. The massive undertaking would traverse the Bering Strait with the world’s longest tunnel – a project twice the length of the Chunnel between England and France. The $65 billion project…”
OK, stop right there. No, really. Stop.
I’m laughing too hard.
If only anyone on the Bering Islands wanted to go to Siberia…
There’s a bunch of Big Dig engineers looking for a new project, I hear…
$65B? $65B won’t pay for the first round of bribes! It won’t pay for the donuts for the PR staff!
Can’t they even make their lies plausible? There’ll be high-speed rail in California before this happens. Heavily-used high-speed rail.
I think Putin is looking towards the future, and not worried about economic issues here.
Most Russian patriots are not too happy about the Seward purchase, and still consider Alaska to be American Siberia.
Letting this tunnel happen would be a major mistake, one that we would pay for way down the road.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair
I think this is a great idea. What a wonderful public works project. It will put thousands to work. What could possibly go wrong?
Maybe they’re hoping on tourism. They could have some theme parks in the Gulag where people could visit.
And who wouldn’t want to go camping in Siberia in -40ºF weather during a raging blizzard?
“…in an unrelated story, the State of Alaska has announced plans for a bear preserve in the far west of the state. A spokesperson has denied rumors that the preserve will be located in the same area as the North American terminus for the proposed Siberia to North America railway.”
Tourism? perhaps. Grizzly food? Could be.
personally I think it’s so the Russians can push their cars to a good mechanic. http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=4880
The Russian economy isn’t the most robust thing in the world. If they hire the guys that did the big dig they are DOOMED.
I see China getting involved somehow so they can loot Alaska and western Canada like they have parts of Asia. Oh, excuse me, like they’ve made the maximum use of the natural resources of parts of Asia.
I think this is a great idea. What a wonderful public works project. It will put thousands to work. What could possibly go wrong?
I’m reminded of a story about Milton Friedman, who was traveling to an Asian nation that shall not be named. His .gov guide took him to a “public works project” that his leaders were particularly proud of. There were thousands of men with shovels and pickaxes and other hand tools, but no heavy equipment – no backhoes, no bulldozers, no earth movers, no dump trucks. When Friedman asked why, he was told “Mr. Friedman, this is a jobs program!” His response was “If it’s a jobs program, why don’t they all have spoons?“
This can’t be a serious project. It is too stupid for even our government to dream up and the Russians are usually practical.
How do you earthquake-proof an underwater RR tunnel?