Why are trains diesel over electric?

Diesel Train Advantages Over Electric Trains Diesel trains are easier to run and offer lower maintenance contrary to popular belief. Diesel train engines are also very flexible in their usage as they can keep on running as long as diesel fuel is available.



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It all comes down to efficiency; electric motors are far more efficient than internal combustion engines when it comes to creating mechanical energy, and this is particularly relevant with trains.

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The Association of American Railroads claims 220000 km. Capital costs for electrifying something that large would be just a bit high, and with continuing subsidies for oil the cost savings simply aren't there. Additionally, the vast majority of the US rail network is privately owned and operated by dozens of railroads.

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Some locomotives collect electricity from overhead cables, while others take power from a third “live” rail on the track. It is very expensive to build the lines or rails that carry the electric current, but electric locomotives are cleaner, quieter, faster, and more reliable than steam or diesel engines.

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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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As a result, electrified rail is currently used on less than 1 percent of U.S. railroad tracks while electricity supplies more than one-third of the energy that powers trains globally.

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A train engine requires about a hundred litres of fuel to get it started. So it wouldn't be economical if the engine is stopped and started frequently. This apart, if the engine is stopped, the moving parts' lubrication will also come to a halt.

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Electric locomotives are typically 20% less expensive than diesel locomotives. Maintenance costs can be 25 to 35 percent lower and operating costs can be up to 50%.

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Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are directly related to fuel consumption. According to EPA data, freight railroads account for just 0.5% of total U.S. GHG emissions and just 1.7% of transportation-related GHG emissions. Moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers GHG emissions by up to 75%, on average.

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However, as an energy researcher, my decision was motivated by the fact that trains, whether for cargo or passengers, pollute much less than airplanes, sometimes by as much as 73%, and they are more easily electrified than planes.

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Diesel engines, which are commonly used in trains and buses, release a combination of gases and particulates into the air. These emissions include nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM), which can produce a strong, acrid smell.

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The life expectancy of diesel-electric and electric locomotives is expected to be similar—about 25 years. Both types of motive power are subject to technological obsolescence.

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Disadvantages of electric traction include: high capital costs that may be uneconomic on lightly trafficked routes, a relative lack of flexibility (since electric trains need third rails or overhead wires), and a vulnerability to power interruptions.

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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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Hydrogen trains. The advantages of hydrogen trains include zero CO2 emissions, virtually no noise, and higher efficiency than diesel. Hydrogen, however, is produced using non-renewable energy sources, so the carbon neutrality of such solutions is questionable.

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Hydrogen-powered fuel cells, combined with batteries to store electricity, would be a zero-emissions solution to replace the diesel-electric locomotive, Moslener says.

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