>>1747363Many factors, some of which are:
>Return On InvestmentAll of the Class I RRs since Conrail's dissolution are for-profit businesses. You get a far greater R.O.I. with diesel than with electrification. A diesel-electric is a self contained unit, whereas electric locomotives require far more infrastructure to operate.
>Low train frequency The overall trend in the US is to consolidate as much power behind as few crew as possible. A lot of mainline routes in the US only get a few trains a day, never mind the less trafficked routes. Electrification generates cost savings per train. Below a specific number of trains/day there is very little benefit.
>InterconnectivityElectric locomotives can only be used under the wires. You have to remove them from every train they're attached to if it leaves the wired routes.
This breaking up of units needs brake testing, adding delays to what could otherwise be a simple crew transfer.
>Lax emission limitsThe EPA have been tightening things up, but the US still has some of the more permissive air quality legislation globally. It helps when there's a lot of space between cities to disperse fumes.
The only places where electrification are being considered currently are those which have air quality issues & politicians that want to prevent that. No matter how retarded their "solutions" might be.
>Cheap oilDiesel fuel is still fairly cheap in the US. In the 70s oil crisis, many roads were seriously looking into electrification as a solution to high oil prices.
South African Railways used it as a solution to the oil embargo they underwent as a result of apartheid. They had an abundance of coal to generate electricity, but very little oil.
If $/bbl shoots up sky high then it might be studied again, but for now it won't.
It is unfortunate, but unless something drastic changes then things will continue as they are for the foreseeable future.
