Alaska - Russia Railroad Link vis Bearing Straight

[Bernd]

I mentioned this subject back in September 2025 on MRH. It was poop-pooed as impossible to do. This is a project that was talked about way back in history.

I said on MRH:

Looks like the Bearing Straight crossing by bridge or tunnel has been talked about quite a bit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing

Putin's envoy boasts of plans to sign agreement with US on Chukotka-Alaska tunnel

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/06/04/8037791/index.amp?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
 
Looks like Elon Musk will be involved. The signing happens today.

Aught to make for some interesting conversion.

Bernd

[deemery]

This would not be cheap, but the benefit is unclear.  Do we really think that Russian raw materials are sufficiently valuable to cover the costs (construction and operating costs)?  That would include not just the crossing of the Straits, but the tracks across Alaska and Siberia.   (I'm ignoring right now the political dimensions of any agreement with Russia.)

dave

[PRR Modeler]

James interesting project.

[Zephyrus52246]

Interesting reading.  With the poor weather in the area and ice floes I doubt bridges would be used.  With the major earthquake fault lines there I doubt bridges nor tunnels would work.  And the political issues seem to make this an odd time for both sides to be talking about this.   

Jeff