Still Waters Posted May 11, 2014 #1 Share Posted May 11, 2014 China is planning to build a train line that would, in theory, connect Beijing to the United States. According to a report in the Beijing Times, citing an expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chinese officials are considering a route that would start in the country's northeast, thread through eastern Siberia and cross the Bering Strait via a 125-mile long underwater tunnel into Alaska. http://www.washingto...ain-to-america/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonecoldvampzy Posted May 11, 2014 #2 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I don't know about this....125 miles of underwater tunnels honestly sound incredibly dangerous...what if the train derails somewhere in the middle? how could they be there in time? and who is gonna control and check all those rails constantly? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted May 11, 2014 #3 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Let's see if they use the project to claim that Alaska is part of China. In fact I admire their ambition, if they limit it to construction and exploits and not politics. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted May 11, 2014 #4 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I don't know about this....125 miles of underwater tunnels honestly sound incredibly dangerous...what if the train derails somewhere in the middle? how could they be there in time? and who is gonna control and check all those rails constantly? No one says you have to use it and I imagine they will have thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud the mackem Posted May 11, 2014 #5 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I guess they will have to negotiate with our Russian friends to go through Siberian soil, (end of project). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theotherguy Posted May 11, 2014 #6 Share Posted May 11, 2014 The proposed path crosses two major tectonic boundaries known for starting huge earthquakes. If this is serious, they had better know what they are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithisco Posted May 12, 2014 #7 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Brilliant!! Simply Brilliant... the world needs such mega - projects to move technology forward, without it being the result of "conflict Response". Not sure if I agree with 2 major tectonic boundaries naysaying because it all depends on the final routing of the railway. Looking forward to more information coming forward. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #8 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Putting aside the safety and construction concerns if this materialises it's great that the railway still holds such a strong position in our transport networks after 300 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Feet Posted May 12, 2014 #9 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Why? Do "we" really need it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #10 Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) Why? Do "we" really need it? You could apply that to so many things mankind has built on a global and individual scale, now lets imagine the world if we did. Edit: You could apply that negativity to so many things mankind has built on a global and individual scale, now lets imagine the world if we applied 'do we really need it' to the rest of the worlds infrastructure. Edited May 12, 2014 by Junior Chubb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted May 12, 2014 #11 Share Posted May 12, 2014 You could apply that to so many things mankind has built on a global and individual scale, now lets imagine the world if we did. What we "need" and what would be of major benefit to everyone involved are two different things. Needless to say cost-benefit and risk analyses and environmental impact studies would be done, but I fully expect designs that pass them would work. It would be a huge improvement over all the aircraft in the skies and that will be in future skies as the population's wealth increases. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #12 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Needless to say cost-benefit and risk analyses and environmental impact studies would be done, but I fully expect designs that pass them would work. It would be a huge improvement over all the aircraft in the skies and that will be in future skies as the population's wealth increases. No need to tell me Frank, I think Hobbit Feet is the one with the concerns. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted May 12, 2014 #13 Share Posted May 12, 2014 No need to tell me Frank, I think Hobbit Feet is the one with the concerns. Right; sorry about that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc14 Posted May 12, 2014 #14 Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) Why? Do "we" really need it? I guess because it gives you the ability to carry massive loads at high speeds, relatively cheaply. I would think much of it would need to be covered as it would be traversing some of the most uninhabitabe terrain on earth and encountering violent weather with tons of blowing snow and dangerous cold. I'd elevate it thouh the Siberian marsh-land and probably the artciic areas as well so snow would blow under rather than over. Edited May 12, 2014 by Merc14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #15 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Right; sorry about that. No problem, I re-read my post and realised it could be interpreted differently from what I intended. Edit is on its way... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Merton Posted May 12, 2014 #16 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I guess because it gives you the ability to carry massive loads at high speeds, relatively cheaply. I would think much of it would need to be covered as it would be traversing some of the most uninhabitabe terrain on earth and encountering violent weather with tons of blowing snow and dangerous cold. I'd elevate it thouh the Siberian marsh-land and probably the artciic areas as well so snow would blow under rather than over. I think they would be either elevated or underground to avoid disrupting local migration patterns and so on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolci Posted May 12, 2014 #17 Share Posted May 12, 2014 by the time they finish it we will have teleportation to take us places. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNYC Posted May 12, 2014 #18 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Please don't. What a horrible idea. After the pictures I saw this weekend on Twitter of what the Chinese do to dogs and cats, I'd prefer they stay far way from the United States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #19 Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) Please don't. What a horrible idea. After the pictures I saw this weekend on Twitter of what the Chinese do to dogs and cats, I'd prefer they stay far way from the United States. Have you not noticed any of the 3 million that are already there or the popularity of Chinese food? Edited May 12, 2014 by Junior Chubb 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR: Posted May 12, 2014 #20 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Since it's going to go through Alaska, I wonder what Sarah Palin has to say about this? LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted May 12, 2014 #21 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Please don't. What a horrible idea. After the pictures I saw this weekend on Twitter of what the Chinese do to dogs and cats, I'd prefer they stay far way from the United States. You do realize there are many Americans of Chinese decent in the USA? They have culturally been a part of the USA for well over a century and apparently are good at building rail roads (don't look at me like that it's just a joke)If this gets built I fully intend on riding it to Beijing and back. How cool of an idea is this? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibeliever Posted May 12, 2014 #22 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Please don't. What a horrible idea. After the pictures I saw this weekend on Twitter of what the Chinese do to dogs and cats, I'd prefer they stay far way from the United States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g00dfella Posted May 12, 2014 #23 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Ain't happening...they can't seem to even keep their own train stations safe.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted May 12, 2014 #24 Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) The only benefit I see is in shipping. Boat shippings take 4 - 8 weeks. The train could do it in much less time. I do feel the potential danger from earthquakes and continental drift over time outweigh the benefits. Edited May 12, 2014 by paperdyer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Chubb Posted May 12, 2014 #25 Share Posted May 12, 2014 If this gets built I fully intend on riding it to Beijing and back. How cool of an idea is this? Hopefully there will be a few passenger runs but I can imagine this being primarily for cargo. I have got my fingers crossed for you to get on the first run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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