I recently interviewed Pasi Lautala, the Director of the Rail Transportation Program at Michigan Technological University. He had been carrying out a cold climate research project into materials that would be fit to construct an Alaska/Canada rail link and is due for completion this month!
The project has been a long time coming and a rail link such as this (linking Yukon and Alaska) could bring huge benefits to the region - in fact it is a great example of how vital university research is to the future of transportation worldwide.
The idea of implementing an Alaska Canada rail link has been under consideration since the Alaska railroad started in 1914. As the value of mineral resources in the region increased, it became apparent that a rail link connecting Alaska and Yukon with the North American railroad would substantially increase economic productivity (and security), development and sustainability in this region.
The 2007 feasibility study showed the overall investment cost to be about US$10.5bn, but also that US$7.8bn in revenues and US$11.4bn in public benefits could potentially occur over a 50-year project life cycle. With its advantages proven, the next essential stage of this 1,900km project needed to find the most effective construction materials for a railroad in such a cold climate. Heavy seasonal frost and permafrost means that different standards for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of rail infrastructure are essential.
To read the rest of the article and the interview with the project's director, you'll need to visit Railway Technology.
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