Why this won't work (Score 1)

There is already a rail link between the east cost of the FSU and Europe, but this link has been in operation for some time and it has been a consistent money-loser. Here are just some of the issues any rail-based link between the US West Coast and Asia would have to overcome: Crime- the US operator of the Trans-Siberian Land Bridge (TSLB) has had to go and pick up 'abandoned' (empty) containers from inside Russian ARMY BASES located along the railroad. High pilferage rates mean that only low margin cargo like scrap metal will be sent via rail across the FSU (former Soviet Union). Existing alternatives- Container vessels can make the voyage between the West Coast and Japan in under 10 days. Competition and overcapacity are currently keeping rates low. Lack of a market on the Russian east coast- most of the rail traffic across the FSU ends up in Europe. Cargo from the West Coast goes to Japan, PRC/HKG, SE Asia and to Europe via the Suez; building a rail bridge only addresses part a small percentage of cargo shipped Westbound across the Pacific. One could argue that raw material could be shipped Eastbound to the States and Canada, but the infrastructure to send oil, et al already exists, albeit via Europe. Essentially, there are other ways of shipping goods from North America to Asia/Europe. There's no market in the FSU that can really justify this kind of cost, and no one has the confidence necessary to ship high margin goods like Playstations or VCRs across Russia.