GO Transit

[tomh009]

Like I said, I assume the plan right now is to run dual mode locomotives...which are...a thing which technically works but just seems really wasteful.

Are dual-mode locomotives really that wasteful? I think they should be much simpler than a plug-in hybrid car, as the current locomotives (such as the MP54) are diesel-electric anyway, so you already have the electric motors, and are really just adding the capability to power the motors from the catenary, rather than a diesel generator.

A PHEV car, on the other hand, needs both a conventional and an electric powertrain. (However, IIRC, the BMW i3 range extender was a gasoline-powered generator that would power the electric motors when the battery ran low.)