Léon Loïcq de Lobel was a French engineer, explorer, and early megaproject promoter whose name became closely linked to the first serious international attempt to advance a Bering Strait fixed link. Between 1898 and 1907, he pursued a transcontinental scheme to connect North America and Eurasia by rail via Canada, Alaska, Chukotka, and the Trans-Siberian Railway — including tunnels toward the Diomede Islands as the natural midpoint between the continents. By Fyodor Soloview, March 2026
by Scott Blair, ENR
November 11, 2014
InterBering, LLC
BERING STRAIT TUNNEL &
INTERNATIONAL RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT
English
Connecting people and continents.
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America – Asia – Europe
International Railroad
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By Ed Peters, South China Morning Post — Oct. 4, 2020
John Arthur Lynch: An Early Advocate of a Bering Strait Connection. Irish-born American lawyer and Civil War officer John Arthur Lynch (ca. 1828-1900) was among the earliest documented promoters of transportation links between North America and Asia through Alaska and the Bering Strait region. Working from Washington, D.C., he petitioned Congress to investigate routes toward Russia, Japan, and China. His advocacy prompted an 1886 Senate bill and federal review, helping establish the Alaska-Asia transportation concept in the official U.S. record decades before detailed bridge and tunnel proposals emerged.
Fyodor Soloview, April 2026.
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PHOTO: Joshua Garcia
Governor Sean Parnell
STATE OF ALASKA
State Capitol
PO Box 110001
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001
907-465-3500
Fax. 907-465-3232
July 12, 2012
Mr. Len Wilson, Director
Mr. Ward Kemerer, Director
Generating for Seven Generations
Box 2789
Revelstoke, BC VOE 2S0
CANADA
Re: Alaska-Canada Rail Link
Alaska Governor
July 12, 2012
Alaska-Canada Rail Link
Dear Mr. Wilson and Mr. Kemerer,
Thank you for the opportunity to write in support of the Generating for Seven Generations, Ltd. (G7G) proposed railway project. As I understand it, the project would conceivably run from the Alberta oil sands to intersect with the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and existing Alaska Railroad track lines at a point near Delta Junction, Alaska. At that point, oil would be deposited into TAPS and carried to the existing oil terminal in Valdez and loaded onto tankers. I have been informed that G7G is preparing to begin a pre-feasibility study for the project.
As you may know, in 2005 Alaska and Yukon agreed to jointly contribute $5 million towards Phase I of an Alaska-Canada rail link study. Just this year, the legislature appropriated an additional $1.1 million to the University of Alaska to begin Phase II of that study. Interest by my administration and the Legislature for potential economic benefits of a rail link remains strong, and this work will be complimentary to the G7G feasibility efforts.
The potential economic benefits of a rail link for both Alaska and Canada have been a vision as far back as the Harriman Expedition in the mid-1800's. Tremendous mineral wealth also exists along and near the rail corridor. This means that in addition to shipping oil from Alberta, a rail spur may also be able to ship bulk minerals in British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska to Port Mackenzie.
We understand you have engaged in significant outreach already and that your proposal is supported by key stakeholder groups including industry, First Nations and Alaska Tribes, and municipal governments. Please keep my office advised of project milestones. Your contact will be Randy Ruaro, Deputy Chief of Staff, with whom you have had several discussions already. He can be reached at 907-465-3500 or via email at randall.ruaro@alaska.gov .
Best regards,
Sean Parnell
Governor
Sean R. Parnell (born November 19, 1962) served as the tenth Governor of Alaska from 2009 to 2014 . A Republican , he was first sworn in on July 26, 2009 to succeed Sarah Palin after her resignation . Parnell was elected Governor of Alaska in his own right in 2010 by 59.06% of the vote, as the largest percentage margin of any Alaska governor since statehood. ( Wikipedia )
link to original letter (PDF)
Oil pipeline along
Richardson Hwy in Alaska.
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) includes the trans-Alaska crude-oil pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal.
PHOTO: Fyodor Soloview.