At a meeting chaired by Russian President Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and high-level railroad officials in early April, the construction of a railroad stretching from the banks of Russia's Lena River to the Bering Strait was discussed at length, adding further evidence that Moscow sees the BST project as not only feasible, but inevitable.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The Bering Strait Tunnel Project

Okay, what will happen if the economy falls, cutting into construction and railroad freight?

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He pushed through the construction of the mightiest railroad project ever, the Trans-Siberian Railway.

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Forrest made headlines in 2011 for protesting the construction of a Montana railroad that would have facilitated coal extraction from the state because the proposed route passed through his ranch.

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The "People of the Springs" exhibit traces the city's obscure history, from Native American dwellings to the arrival of the railroad on the Western frontier and the construction of Hoover Dam.

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Of course our governors can encourage or mandate certain activities or stimulate or direct particular undertakings--land for railroad building in the 19th century, highway construction and space exploration in this one--but that's a far cry from directing the whole economy.

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