Are diesel trains still used in the UK?

According to the latest government data, about 29 percent of the UK train fleet still runs on diesel and freight trains run almost entirely on it. On Thursday, the government unveiled plans to electrify an additional 180 miles (288 kilometres) of track in a new rail strategy.



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The decision not to procure new diesel trains had already been made in 2020. As soon as trains have reached the end of their economic life, they are now to be replaced with battery trains. Trains that are theoretically still operational are to be used on non-electrified lines during the transition.

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No modern train uses a diesel engine to power their wheels directly. They're used as generators to power electric motors. So the only difference boils down to where the electricity comes from. And even in the most train-friendly countries like France and Japan, huge sections of the network are not electrified.

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American railways were also built on a wider gauge (the distance between the rails), which allows for larger and heavier trains. As a result, American freight railways are much more efficient than their European counterparts, carrying almost three times as much cargo per mile of track.

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The diesel engine drives an alternator, which produces electricity to run electric motors mounted on the locomotive's axles. The internal combustion engine was a dramatic improvement in efficiency over the steam locomotive, making substantial savings possible in maintenance and the elimination of widespread facilities.

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  • Share of electrification in the rail networks of:
  • Liechtenstein - 100% Armenia - 100% Ethyopia - 100% Luxembourg - 100% Dschibuti - 100%
  • Japan - 73% Montenegro - 89% Germany - 61% EU - 54% Switzerland - 84% Belgium - 85% France - 58% UK - 28% Sweden - 75% China - 65% India - 37% Russia - 51% USA - 0,54% ...
  • Found here:


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As of January 2022, there is 2776 kilometres of track in Scotland, and 711 kilometres are electrified representing 25.3%.

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As of 2021, Germany had a railway network of 33,399 kilometres (20,753 mi), of which 20,540 kilometres (12,760 mi) were electrified and 18,556 kilometres (11,530 mi) were double track. Germany is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC).

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Outside the Northeast Corridor and a route in Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, all Amtrak trains are powered by diesel locomotives, which emit greenhouse gases and fine particulate matter that can cause health problems.

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If we take an overall view of the transport sector, 71% of transportation related carbon emissions come from road users, whereas only 1.8% of emissions stem from rail travel. So in absolute terms, trains are responsible for a lot less emissions than cars.

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The exhaust from decades-old diesel locomotives contains particles (nitrogen oxides and black carbon) that scientists and public health experts have long known cause lung cancer, severe asthma, heart disease and neurological disorders.

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The Association of American Railroads opposes electrification due to its high capital costs.

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If China is the largest exporter of rail technology in the world, its neighbour Japan is certainly the most technologically advanced manufacturer on the market. Having launched the first class of bullet trains in 1964, the country has continuously updated its models according to the latest technological advancements.

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While the US was a passenger train pioneer in the 19th century, after WWII, railways began to decline. The auto industry was booming, and Americans bought cars and houses in suburbs without rail connections. Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail.

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Railroads govern the use of bells on locomotives and mandate when they should be rung, as at crossings, quiet zones, or meeting points. Locomotive bells' chief function is to warn pedestrians, crew, or others nearby with a bright ding that a train is moving or will be soon.

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